BioConcepts

extranucleic

• Genetic information not directly connected with nucleic acid.
  category heredity see also epinucleic nucleic

  1958

  we can define a category of genetic information as being “nucleic”; that is, depending on the sequence of nucleotides in a nucleic acid. By contrast “epinucleic” information is expressed in another form, e.g., as an aspect of nucleic acid configuration other than nucleotide sequence or in polypeptide or polyamine adjuncts to the polynucleotide. We also have extranucleic information in molecules or reaction cycles not directly connected with nucleic acid.

  Lederberg, J. (1958). Genetic approaches to somatic cell variation: summary comment. J. Cell. Comp. Physiol. Suppl. 52, 383-392: 385.