nonchromosomal

non·chro·mo·som·al   (nŏn'krō-mə-sō'məl)    adj.  Not situated on or involving a chromosome: nonchromosomal DNA.

chromosome 

Main Entry: chro·mo·some
Pronunciation: 'krO-m&-"sOm, -"zOm
Function: noun
: any of the usually linear bodies of the cell nucleus ofeukaryotic organisms, the usually circular bodies of prokaryotic organisms (as bacteria), or especially in some schools of molecular biology the genomes of DNA viruses (as bacteriophages) that take upbasophilic stains and contain most or all of the genes of the organism chromosomes of cells and those of viruses can duplicate only in the complex environment of a livingcell —J. D. Watson> chromosome as a linear sequence—Benjamin Lewin> —chro·mo·som·al /"krO-m&-'sO-m&l, -'zO-/ adjective —chro·mo·som·al·ly /-m&-lE/ adverb

chromosome chro·mo·some (krō'mə-sōm')
n.

1. A threadlike linear strand of DNA and associated proteins in the nucleus of animal and plant cells that carries the genes and functions in the transmission of hereditary information.

2. A circular strand of DNA in bacteria and cyanobacteria that contains the hereditary information necessary for cell life.

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chro'mo·so'mal (-sō'məl) or chro'mo·so'mic (-sō'mĭk) adj.

chromosome   (krō'mə-sōm')  Pronunciation Key  (click for larger image in new window) A structure in all living cells that consists of a single molecule of DNA bonded to various proteins and that carries the genes determining heredity. In all eukaryotic cells, the chromosomes occur as threadlike strands in the nucleus. During cell reproduction, these strands coil up and condense into much thicker structures that are easily viewed under a microscope. Chromosomes occur in pairs in all of the cells of eukaryotes except the reproductive cells, which have one of each chromosome, and some red blood cells (such as those of mammals) that expel their nuclei. In bacterial cells and other prokaryotes, which have no nucleus, the chromosome is a circular strand of DNA located in the cytoplasm.