consensus sequence: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “consensus sequence” mean?
The most common nucleotide or amino acid sequence that appears at each position in an alignment of related DNA, RNA, or protein sequences.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The most common nucleotide or amino acid sequence that appears at each position in an alignment of related DNA, RNA, or protein sequences.
In bioinformatics and molecular biology, a consensus sequence represents the calculated central tendency of a set of sequences, summarizing conserved patterns, often used to identify motifs, binding sites, or promoter regions. More broadly, it can metaphorically describe any averaged or agreed-upon pattern derived from multiple sources.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No lexical or spelling differences. Pronunciation differences follow standard BrE/AmE patterns for the constituent words 'consensus' and 'sequence'.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations. The term is purely scientific.
Frequency
Equally frequent in relevant academic and technical literature in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “consensus sequence” in a Sentence
The consensus sequence [for/of X] was identified.The algorithm generates a consensus sequence [from/using] multiple alignments.A promoter contains a consensus sequence [bound by] specific proteins.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “consensus sequence” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sequences were consensused to generate a reliable model.
- We need to consensus these aligned regions.
American English
- The team consensused the data before proceeding.
- The algorithm consensuses multiple reads.
adverb
British English
- The motifs were arranged consensus-sequentially.
- N/A
American English
- The bases were called consensus-sequentially.
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The consensus-sequence data is stored in the repository.
- They performed a consensus-sequence analysis.
American English
- The consensus-sequence data is stored in the repository.
- They performed a consensus-sequence analysis.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used, except perhaps metaphorically in highly specialized tech/biotech strategy meetings.
Academic
Core term in molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, and related life sciences papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Fundamental term in sequence alignment software, genomic research, and laboratory protocols.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “consensus sequence”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “consensus sequence”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “consensus sequence”
- Misspelling as 'concensus sequence'.
- Using it as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'many consensus sequence' instead of 'many consensus sequences' or 'many consensus sequence motifs').
- Confusing it with a 'consensus' in a general discussion.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a compound noun, written as two separate words. It is sometimes hyphenated when used as a modifier (e.g., consensus-sequence analysis).
Yes, often represented using IUPAC codes for nucleotides (e.g., 'W' for A or T) or similar conventions for amino acids, indicating positions where more than one base or residue is common.
No, it is used for DNA, RNA, and protein sequences. For proteins, it's often called a 'consensus sequence' or 'consensus motif'.
A motif is a short, conserved sequence pattern associated with a function. A consensus sequence is one way to represent that motif, showing the most frequent residue at each position. The terms are often used interchangeably.
The most common nucleotide or amino acid sequence that appears at each position in an alignment of related DNA, RNA, or protein sequences.
Consensus sequence is usually formal, technical, academic in register.
Consensus sequence: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈsen.səs ˈsiː.kwəns/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈsen.səs ˈsiː.kwəns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a group of scientists in AGREEMENT (consensus) on the one most typical DNA PATTERN (sequence) after comparing many samples.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CENTRAL TENDENCY IS A SEQUENCE (abstracting common features from multiple instances into a single, idealised model).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of determining a consensus sequence?