22
Acrocentric chromosome
: A chromosome with itscentromere towards one end. Human chromosomes13,14,15,21,22 are Acrocentric.
Acrylamide gels:
A polymer gel used for electrophoresis of DNA or protein to measure their sizes (in daltons for proteins,or in base pairs for DNA). See "Gel Electrophoresis".Acrylamide gels are especially useful for high-resolutionseparations of DNA in the range of tens to hundreds of nucleotides in length.
Actin
. A protein found in combination with myosin in muscleand also found as filaments constituting an important part of the cytoskeleton in many eukaryotic cells.
Actinomycin D pulse experiments
The application of actinomycin D to actively metabolizing cells results in thecessation of new RNA transcription. Consequently, serialdeterminations of specific RNA levels will allow one tocalculate the mRNA half-life. Should this vary betweencontrol and stimulated conditions, evidence is garnered that agene of interest is regulated at the level of mRNA stability.
Actinomycin D
. An antibiotic that binds to DNA and inhibitsRNA chain elongation.
Activated complex
. The highest free energy state of acomplex in going from reactants to products.
Active site
. The region of an enzyme molecule that containsthe substrate binding site and the catalytic site for convertingthe substrate(s) into product(s).
Active transport
. The energy-dependent transport of asubstance across a membrane.
Adaptation
change in a organism resulting from naturalselection; a structure which is the result of such selection. #Adjustment to environmental demands through the long-term process of natural selection acting on genotypes.
Adaptive immunity
: A collective term for the long-lastingand specific response of lymphocytes to antigens. Requires theMHC, T-cell receptors (TCR) and immunoglobulins (Ig) aswell as enzymes with a recombinase activity (for therearrangements at TCR and Ig gene loci). Present in allvertebrates except jawless fish (see innate immunity).
Adaptive radiation
. The evolution of new species or subspecies to fill unoccupied ecological niches.
Additive and non-additive components
: In studies of heredity, the portions of the genetic component that are passedand not passed to offspring, respectively.
Additive genetic variance:
genetic variance atributed to theaverage effects of substituting one allele for another at a ivenlocus, or at the multiple loci governing a polygenic trait.
Adenine
. A purine base found in DNA or RNA.
Adenosine Triphosphate ATP:
Adenosine 5'- (tetrahydrogentriphosphate). An adenine nucleotide containing three phosphate groups esterified to the sugar moiety. In addition toits crucial roles in metabolism adenosine triphosphate is aneurotransmitter. [MeSH] # The nucleotide formed by addinga pyrophosphate group to the 5'-OH group of adenosine.
Adenosine
. A purine nucleoside found in DNA, RNA, andmany cofactors.
Adenylate cyclase
. The enzyme that catalyzes the formationof cyclic 3',5' adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) from ATP.
Adipocyte
. A specialized cell that functions as a storage depotfor lipid.
Adult
- the mature stage of an organism, usually recognized by the organism's attaining the ability to reproduce.
Advanced (synonym: derived; opposite: primitive):
In phylogenic studies, an organism or character further removedfrom an evolutionary divergence than a more primitive one.
Aerobe
. A microorganism that grows in the presence of oxygen. See Anaerobe.
Aerobic
-- aerobic organisms require oxygen for their life processes.
Affinity Chromatography
This separation method depends onusing any molecule that can preferentially bind to a protein of interest. Typical methodologies include using lectins (such aswheat germ or concanavalin A) to bind glycoproteins or usingcovalently coupled monoclonal antibodies to bind specific protein ligands.
#
A column chromatographic technique thatemploys attached functional groups that have a specific affinityfor sites on particular proteins.
Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
- A method for separating nucleicacids (DNA or RNA) within a gel made of agarose in a suitable buffer under the influence of an electrical field. Suitable for separation of large fragments of nucleic acid, separation is based primarily upon the size of the nucleic acid. # A matrixcomposed of a highly purified form of agar that is used toseparate larger DNA and RNA molecules ranging 20,000nucleotides. (See Electrophoresis.)
Agarose gels:
A polysaccharide gel used to measure the size of nucleic acids (in bases or base pairs). See "Gel Electrophoresis".This is the gel of choice for DNA or RNA in the range of thousands of bases in length, or even up to 1 megabase if youare using pulsed field gel electrophoresis.
Agnatha (means jawless):
The Class Agnatha represents themost primitive ‘jawless’ vertebrates. MHC genes have beencloned from all vertebrate classes except Agnatha.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
: A soil bacterium that causes acancer-like plant disease (crown gall) in dicotyledenous plants(all agricultural crops except cereals). It contains the Ti plasmid.The tumor induction ability of the bacterium spreads toneighboring cells via the plasmid.
a-helix:
Common secondary structure of proteins in which thelinear sequence of amino acids is folded into a spiral that isstabilized by hydrogen bonds between the carboxyl oxygen of each peptide bond.
Alcohol
. A molecule with a hydroxyl group attached to a carbonatom.
Aldehyde
. A molecule containing a doubly bonded oxygen anda hydrogen attached to the same carbon atom.
Algae
: A heterogeneous group of aquatic, unicellular, colonialor multicellular, eukaryotic and photosynthetic organisms. They belong to the Kingdom Protista and include the multicellular red(rhodophyte), green and brown (kelp) algae. They are not plants but all land plants evolved from the green algae (see alsoChromista).
Alginate
-- component of the cell walls of many rhodophytesand kelps. Alginates have an affinity for water, and so help toslow dessication when the algae are exposed to the air; they arecommercially important in the production of paper, toothpaste, beer, and frozen foods.
Alkaline
-- term pertaining to a highly basic, as opposed toacidic, subtance. For example, hydroxide or carbonate of sodium or potassium.
Allee effect
: The benefit individuals gain from the presence of conspecifics. Link to a brief explanation of Allee effect.
Allele
- One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that mayoccupy the same locus on a particular chromosome #Alternate
Leave a Comment
Very Good