supercoil
/ˈsupərˌkɔɪl/
verb
- To twist a long, flexible molecule (such as DNA) into a tighter, coiled shape.
- Enzymes in the cell can supercoil DNA to help it fit into a small space.
- When you twist a phone cord too much, it will supercoil and form knots.
- The process can supercoil the molecule, making it harder to read.
noun
- A structure formed when a long, flexible molecule (like DNA) twists further around itself, like a coiled cord that is twisted again.
- Scientists study how supercoils form during the copying of genetic material.
- A supercoil can make a long strand of DNA much shorter and more stable.
- The DNA in a cell is tightly packed into supercoils to fit inside the nucleus.