| 释义 |
subˈvital, a. (n.)
[sub- 19 a.]
a. Genetics. Of a gene: causing the death of a significant proportion of the individuals carrying it, but not as many as a semi-lethal gene. Also as n. Cf. lethal a. 1 d, semi-lethal a. and n.
1948E. Hadorn in Symp. Soc. Exper. Biol. II. 181 We may even come across mutants, or organ systems of lethals, that behave during a first sensitive period as subvital factors, during a second period as semi-lethals, and during a third period as true lethals. 1951T. Dobzhansky Genetics & Origin of Species (ed. 3) iii. 67 About 57 percent of the second and 49 percent of the third chromosomes which were free of lethals or semilethals were ‘subvital’ in homozygotes. A subvital is a deleterious gene or gene complex which causes..the death of less than half of the homozygotes. 1962[see lethal a. 1 d]. 1978Acta Embryol. Exper. i. 101, 80·9% of them survive the ill effects of the mutation; it is, therefore, considered a subvital mutation.
b. Biol. Not fully alive; having only some of the characteristics of living systems.
1954New Biol. XVI. 10 Amongst the energy-providing materials are needed also ‘sub-vital’ systems which, using the energy provided, can grow and split and thus reproduce themselves. |