a double-helix formed where one strand is RNA and the other is DNA
A double-stranded DNA molecule or DNA-RNA hybrid, where each strand is of a different origin, and consequently containing one or more mismatched (non-complementary) base pairs. A DNA duplex is prepared by the hybridization of single-stranded DNA molecules derived from two different sources. Where the two DNAs have identical or very similar sequences, a double-stranded molecule will be established, whereas where the two DNAs differ in sequence, single-stranded regions will remain. A heteroduplex will be revealed as single-strand "bushes" when DNA is observed electron microscopically. A map of homologous and non-homologous regions of the two molecules may thereby be constructed. This process is known as heteroduplex mapping.
Hybrid structure formed by the annealing of two DNA strands (or an RNA and DNA) that have sufficient complementarity in their sequence to allow hydrogen bonding.
A double-stranded nucleic acid molecule in which each strand has been derived from a different individual.
A heteroduplex is a double-stranded (duplex) molecule of nucleic acid originated through the genetic recombination of single complementary strands derived from different sources, such as from different homologous chromosomes or even from different organisms. One such example is the heteroduplex DNA strand formed in hybridization processes, usually for biochemistry-based phylogenetical analyses.