Biotechnology and Genetics terms starting with B

182 terms

biopolymer Any large polymer (protein, nucleic acid, polysaccharide) produced by a living organism.
bioprocess Any process that uses complete living cells or their components (e.g. enzymes, chloroplasts ) to effect desired physical or chemical changes.
bioreactor A tank in which cells, cell extracts or enzymes carry out a biological reaction. Often refers to a fermentation vessel for cells or micro-organisms.
biorecovery The use of micro-organisms for the recovery of valuable materials (metals or particular organic compounds) from complex mixtures.
Bioremediation The use of microorganisms to remedy environmental problems. See Bioaugmentation, Bioenrichment.
biosafety Referring to the avoidance of risk to human health and safety, and to the conservation of the environment, as a result of the use for research and…
biosafety protocol An inteRNA tionally agreed protocol set up to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by the release of genetically modified organisms.
biosensor A device that uses an immobilized biologically-related agent (such as an enzyme, antibiotic, organelle or whole cell) to detect or measure a chemical…
biosilk A biomimetic fibre produced by the expression of the relevant orb-weaving spider genes in yeast or bacteria, followed by the spinning of the expressed…
biosorbents Micro-organisms which, either by themselves or in conjunction with a substrate are able to extract and/or concentrate a desired molecule by means of its…
Biosphere The part of the earth and its atmosphere that is inhabited by living organisms.
biosynthesis Synthesis of compounds by living cells, which is the essential feature of anabolism.
biosynthetic antibody binding sites (Abbreviation: BABS). See: dAb.
Biotechnology The scientific manipulation of living organ- isms, especially at the molecular genetic level, to produce useful products.
Biotechnology-derived The use of molecular biology and/or recombinant DNA technology, or in vitro gene transfer, to develop products or to impart specific capabilities in…
biotic factor Other living organisms that are a component of an organism's environment, and form the biotic environment, affecting the organism in many ways.
Biotic stress Living organisms which can harm plants , such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria, and harmful insects. See Abiotic stress.
biotic stress Stress resulting from attack by pathogenic organisms.
biotin A vitamin of the B complex, it acts as a co-enzyme for various enzymes that catalyse the incorporation of carbon dioxide into various compounds, and is…
biotin labelling The attachment of biotin to another molecule, especially DNA.
biotinylated-DNA A DNA molecule labelled with biotin by incorporation of a biotinylated nucleotide (usually uracil ) into a DNA molecule.
Biotope A small habitat in a large community.
biotoxin A naturally produced compound which shows pronounced biological activity, toxic to some or many organisms.
biotransformation The conversion of one chemical or material into another using a biological catalyst : a near synonym is biocatalysis, and hence the catalyst used is…
Birth defect A structural, functional, or metabolic abnormality present at birth that results in physical or mental disability or is fatal.
bivalent Two paired homologous chromosomes (one of maternal origin; the other of paternal origin) at prophase to anaphase of the first meiotic division.
BLAST An immature blood cell.
blast cell A large, rapidly dividing cell that develops from a B cell in response to an antigenic stimulus.
Blastocoel The fluid-filled cavity inside the blastocyst of the developing embryo.
Blastocyst A mammalian embryo (fertilized ovum) in the early stages of development, approximately up to the time of implantation.
Blastocyst stage An early stage in the development of embryos, when (in mammals) the embryo is a spherical body comprising an inner cell mass that will become the fetus…
blastomere Any one of the cells formed from the first few cleavages in animal embryology. The embryo usually divides into two, then four, then eight blastomeres, and…
Blastula In animals, an early embryo form that follows the morula stage; typically, a single-layered sheet (blastoderm) or ball of cells (blastocyst ).
bleeding 1. Collection of blood from immunized animals. 2. Used to describe the occasional purplish-black colouration of media due to phenolic products given off…
Blood Cell Separator A machine, used in apheresis, which distinguishes the small fraction of stem cells in the blood from all other blood cells, so that the stem cells may be…
blot As a verb, to transfer DNA, RNA or protein to an immobilizing matrix. As a noun, the immobilizing matrix carrying DNA, RNA or protein.
blunt end The end of a double-stranded DNA molecule in which neither strand extends beyond the other. Synonym: flush end.
blunt-end cut To cut a double-stranded DNA with a restriction endonuclease which generates blunt ends . Synonym: flush-end cut.
blunt-end ligation The joining of two blunt-ended double-stranded DNA molecules.
BOD Abbreviation for biological oxygen demand.
Bone marrow (bone MAYR-oh) The soft, sponge-like tissue in the center of most bones. It produces white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
Bone marrow (BM) cell Refers to both hematopoietic and mesenchymal (stromal) cells.
Bone Marrow Aspiration (bone MAYR-oh as-pih-RAY-shun) The removal of a small sample of bone marrow (usually from the hip) through a needle for examination under a microscope.
Bone Marrow Biopsy (bone MAYR-oh BY-op-see) The removal of a sample of tissue from the bone marrow with a needle for examination under a microscope.
Bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) One of at least two types of multipotient stem cells: hematopoietic stem cell and mesenchymal stem cell.
Bone marrow stromal cell Also known as mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow stromal cells are a mixed population of cells derived from the non-blood forming fraction of bone marrow.
Bone marrow stromal cells A mixed population of stem cells found in bone marrow that does not give rise to blood cells but instead generates bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous…
bone marrow transplantation (bone MAYR-oh tranz-plan-TAY-shun) A procedure to replace bone marrow that has been destroyed by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or…
Bone marrow transplantation (BMTx) Trans-planta-tion of bone marrow from one individual to another. Autologous BMTx is a process in which a patient's healthy bone marrow is withdrawn and…
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) Proteins thatare involved in the formation of embryonic bone. BMPs operate at several stages in this formation of bone, beginning with the early stages of…
boring platform Sterile bottom half of a Petri dish used for preparing explants with a cork borer.
bound water Cellular water not released into the intercellular space upon freezing and thawing. Opposite: free water.
bovine growth hormone See: bovine somatotrophin
bovine somatotrophin (Abbreviation: BST) A natural protein in cattle. It has been cloned, using recombinant DNA technology, expressed in large amounts and marketed as an…
bovine somatotropin See: bovine somatotrophin.
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Abbreviation: BSE) Cattle disease (colloquially called mad cow disease) caused by proteinaceous infectious particle s.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) A disease of cattle, related to scrapie of sheep, also known as “mad cow disease.
BP See Base pair.
bract A modified leaf that subtends flowers or inflorescences and may appear to be a petal.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) A growth factor synthesized in the brain that stimulates neurite outgrowth and supports survival of neurons.
BRCA1/BRCA2 The first breast cancer genes to be identified. Mutated forms of these genes are believed to be responsible for about half the cases of inherited breast…
breed 1.a sub-specific group of domestic livestock with definable and identifiable external characteristics that enable it to be separated by visual appraisal…
breed at risk An animal breed that is in danger of becoming extinct because its population has fallen below a critical number.
breeding The process of sexual reproduction and production of offspring.
breeding value A quantitative genetics term, describing that part of the deviation of an individual phenotype from the population mean that is due to the additive…
brewer's yeast Strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are used for the production of beer.
bridge A filter paper or other substrate used as a wick and support structure for a plant tissue in culture when a liquid medium is used.
broad-host-range plasmid A plasmid that can replicate in a number of different bacterial species.
broad-sense heritability The proportion of the total phenotypic variation which results from genetic variation or interaction between the genotype and the environment.
broodstock The group of males and females from which fish are bred.
browning Discolouration of freshly cut surfaces of plant tissue due to phenolic oxidation.
BSA Abbreviation for bovine serum albumin.
BSE Abbreviation for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. See protein aceous infectious particle.
BST Abbreviation for bovine somatotrophin.
Bt See Bacillus thuringiensis.
Bt corn A corn plant that has been developed though biotechnology so that the plant tissues express a protein derived from a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis…
bubble column fermenter A bioreactor in which the cells or micro-organisms are kept suspended in a tall cylinder by rising air, which is introduced at the base of the vessel.
bud A region of meristematic tissue with the potential for developing into leaves, shoots, flowers or combinations of these; generally protected by modified…
bud sport A somatic mutation arising in a bud, generating a genetically different shoot. Includes changes due to gene mutation, chromosomal mutation or polyploidy.
budding 1. A method of asexual reproduction in which a new individual is derived from an outgrowth (bud) that becomes detached from the body of the parent. 2.
bulked segregant analysis A method to obtain markers linked to a target trait, in which DNA samples, prepared from a number of individuals of each of two contrasting phenotypes…
buoyant density The intrinsic density which a molecule, virus or sub-cellular particle has when suspended in an aqueous solution of a salt, such as CsCl, or a sugar, such…