Supercoil

Origin

- + coil

Full definition of supercoil

Noun

1. (genetics) A coil of the DNA helix upon itself, such as a figure eight.

Related terms

• supercoiling

Verb

1. (genetics) To twist circular DNA into a supercoil
• After deproteination, the migration of the assembled form II DNA will remain unchanged, appearing not to have been supercoiled by nucleosomes.