List of MeSH codes (D20)

MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) codes are a controlled vocabulary thesaurus used by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) for indexing articles for MEDLINE/PubMed and other databases. The "D20" heading in the MeSH hierarchy specifically refers to the category: "Genetic Phenomena."

This category encompasses a broad range of topics related to genes, genetics, and their effects. It includes terms related to:

• Gene Expression Regulation: Processes that control the activity of genes, such as transcription, translation, and post-translational modification.
• Genetic Variation: Differences in DNA sequences, including mutations, polymorphisms, and copy number variations.
• Gene Expression: The process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product.
• Genetic Structures: Includes specific gene families and sequences.
• Phenotype: The observable characteristics or traits of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
• Epigenetics: Heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence.
• Genetic Processes: Includes topics such as genetic recombination and gene conversion.

Researchers and librarians use D20 codes and its subheadings to efficiently search for and categorize literature related to genetics and related fields within the biomedical sciences. The MeSH hierarchy allows for searching at different levels of specificity, providing a granular approach to information retrieval.