phenocopy
/ˈfiːnoʊˌkɑːpi/
noun
- An individual whose physical traits are similar to those caused by a genetic condition but are actually due to environmental factors.
- Doctors must distinguish between a true genetic syndrome and a phenocopy.
- The scientist studied a phenocopy of a genetic disorder caused by a chemical exposure.
- A phenocopy can look identical to a hereditary disease but is not inherited.
verb
- To produce a phenocopy; to cause an organism to develop traits that mimic a genetic condition through environmental means.
- The experiment aimed to phenocopy the effects of a gene deletion using heat stress.
- It is possible to phenocopy some inherited diseases in laboratory animals.
- Researchers can phenocopy a mutation by exposing embryos to certain chemicals.
Synonyms