Cis-action

Last updated July 18, 2025

Cis-action or cis-acting is a vague term that, in general, means "an action on the same" in contrast to trans-action "an action on a different". In other words, the initiator of the action is affected by it. Cis-actions occur wherever circular dependencies are present. Most notably in:

biology, where it refers to life itself as in the selfish gene,^[1] cis-acting genetic elements^[2] and self-maintenance as a trait of self-replicating entities;^[3]
chemistry, where it is known as autocatalytic set.^[3]
Software engineering, as in computer viruses.

References

↑ Dawkins R (1989). The selfish gene (New ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-217773-7. OCLC 20012195.
↑ Bateman JR, Johnson JE, Locke MN (August 2012). "Comparing enhancer action in cis and in trans". Genetics. 191 (4): 1143–1155. doi:10.1534/genetics.112.140954. PMC 3415998 . PMID 22649083.
1 2 Piast RW (June 2019). "Shannon's information, Bernal's biopoiesis and Bernoulli distribution as pillars for building a definition of life". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 470: 101–107. Bibcode:2019JThBi.470..101P. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.03.009. PMID 30876803. S2CID 80625250.

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[1] Dawkins R (1989). The selfish gene (New ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-217773-7. OCLC 20012195.

[2] Bateman JR, Johnson JE, Locke MN (August 2012). "Comparing enhancer action in cis and in trans". Genetics. 191 (4): 1143–1155. doi:10.1534/genetics.112.140954. PMC 3415998 . PMID 22649083.

[:0-3] 1 2 Piast RW (June 2019). "Shannon's information, Bernal's biopoiesis and Bernoulli distribution as pillars for building a definition of life". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 470: 101–107. Bibcode:2019JThBi.470..101P. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.03.009. PMID 30876803. S2CID 80625250.

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