A consensus sequence is a fundamental concept in molecular biology that is used to identify patterns in DNA and RNA sequences. It refers to a sequence of nucleotides that is present in a large number of similar sequences. This sequence is used to identify regions of the genome that are important for gene expression, regulation, and function. Synonyms for the term "consensus sequence" might include the terms "conserved sequence," "common sequence," "shared sequence," or "critical sequence." Each of these terms refers to the idea that some sequences of DNA or RNA are more important than others for the function of a gene or genome.