ssDNA

Definition

Single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid; a nucleic acid polymer consisting of one, not two, complementary strands. In arthropod biology, ssDNA occurs as the genome of certain arthropod viruses (e.g., densoviruses infecting insects, circoviruses in mites) and as an intermediate in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. Contrast with dsDNA (double-stranded DNA), the standard genomic form in cellular organisms.

Etymology

Abbreviation of single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid.

Example

Densoviruses (family Parvoviridae) possess linear ssDNA genomes and cause lethal infections in lepidopteran and coleopteran larvae; their replication generates a dsDNA replicative intermediate.

Synonyms

• single-stranded DNA

Related Terms

• dsDNA
• DNA virus
• densovirus
• circovirus
• replicative intermediate
• rolling circle replication
• parvovirus

Usage Notes

The term distinguishes genomic or replicative forms rather than chemical identity—ssDNA and dsDNA share the same nucleotide composition but differ in structure and biological properties. In entomological literature, 'ssDNA' often appears in pathogen screening (e.g., detecting circovirus in honey bees) or in describing viral taxonomy. Not to be confused with sstDNA (single-stranded template DNA) or cDNA (complementary DNA).