tandemly

Tandemly is an adverb that describes an arrangement or action occurring in a sequential or parallel fashion, often where one element follows or acts alongside another. The word originates from "tandem," a term referring to a bicycle with two riders seated one behind the other, or more broadly, a series of things arranged one after another.

In a biological context, genes are sometimes described as being arranged tandemly, meaning they are located adjacent to each other on a chromosome and are often transcribed as a single unit. This arrangement can be important for the coordinated expression of related genes. Similarly, in molecular biology, DNA sequences can repeat tandemly, forming repetitive DNA elements.

The term can also be applied to other fields. For instance, in computer science, processes or tasks might execute tandemly, meaning they are performed in a specific order or concurrently to achieve a larger goal. In a more general sense, any two or more entities that work together in a coordinated and sequential manner can be said to be acting tandemly. The core idea is one of close association and often, mutual dependence or a shared purpose.