Acronym for Deoxyribo-Nucleic Acid, a complex chemical chain containing the genetic codes enabling the reproduction of life throughout the explored galaxy.

Nearly each type of individual life-form has a DNA code containing information common to that species, and additional distinguishing information unique to each individual. For these reasons, DNA sequencing is often used as a means of positive identification between individuals, except in the case of a clone.

A variety of species throughout the galaxy share a similar DNA structure discovered later by Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D to be due to a single humanoid species living four billion years ago which "seeded" planets with its own primordial genetic material.