Term: complementary DNA (cDNA) https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01202 Definition: A single-stranded DNA molecule with a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to an RNA molecule; cDNA is formed by the action of the enzyme reverse transcriptase on an RNA template. After conversion to the double-stranded form, cDNA is used for molecular cloning or for hybridization studies. Related Terms: 1) dna (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01597). 2) nucleotide (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.N04255). 3) rna (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05386). 4) enzyme (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02159). 5) template (<em>in biotechnology</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06269). 6) hybridization (<em>in biotechnology</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02874). 7) sequence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.ST06775). Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 150 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143) Citation: 'complementary DNA (cDNA)' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01202 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.