Biotechnology and Genetics terms starting with M

271 terms

  1. Metachromatic leukodystrophy A heritable metabolic disorder, usually of infancy, characterized by myelin loss and other abnormalities of the white matter of the nervous system…
  2. metal affinity chromatography A chromatographic technique, in which a compound interacting with a specific metal ion can be captured by immobilizing the relevant ion on the column's…
  3. metalloenzyme An enzyme which requires the presence of a metal in order to be catalytically active.
  4. Metallothionein A protective protein that binds heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead.
  5. Metaphase Stage of mitosis or meiosis (following prophase and preceding anaphase ) during which the chromosome s, or at least the kinetochores, lie in the central…
  6. metastasis (meh-TAS-tuh-sis) The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed by cells that have spread is called a "metastatic tumor" or a…
  7. methylation The addition of a methyl group (-CH3) to a molecule, most commonly in the context of DNA where cytosine and, less often, adenine residues can be modified…
  8. MHC Abbreviation for major histocompatibility complex.
  9. Michaelis constant See: Km.
  10. micro-array A large set of cloned DNA molecules immobilized as a compact and orderly pattern of sub-microlitre spots onto a solid matrix (typically a glass slide).
  11. micro-carrier Small particles used as a support material for (particularly mammalian) cells, which are too fragile to be pumped and stirred as bacterial cells are in a…
  12. micro-element A nutritional element required in very small quantities.
  13. micro-encapsulation A process of enclosing a substance in very small sealed capsules from which material is released by heat, solution or other means.
  14. micro-environment A small-scale environment in which the conditions (temperature, humidity, pH etc.
  15. micro-injection The introduction of small amounts of (usually) liquid material (DNA, RNA, enzyme s, cytotoxic agents) into a defined tissue or single cell with a fine…
  16. micro-isolating system Mechanical separation of single cells or protoplasts thus allowing them to proliferate individually.
  17. micro-organism Organism visible only under magnification.
  18. microalgal culture Culture in bioreactors of microalgae (including seaweeds).
  19. Microarray Sets of miniaturized chemical reaction areas that may also be used to test DNA fragments, antibodies, or proteins.
  20. microarray technology A new way of studying how large numbers of genes interact with each other and how a cell's regulatory networks control vast batteries of genes…
  21. Microbe A microorganism.
  22. Microbial genetics The study of genes and gene function in bacteria, archaea, and other microorganisms.
  23. microbial mat Layered microbial populations, usually growing on the surface of a solid medium or on a membrane.
  24. Microbial mats (biofilms) Layered groups or communities of microbial populations.
  25. microbody A frequently spherical cellular organelle, bound by a single membrane, 20-60 nm in diameter, and containing a variety of enzymes.
  26. microdroplet array (Abbreviation: MDA). A technique used to simultaneously evaluate large numbers of media modifications, employing small quantities of medium into which are…
  27. Microenvironment The molecules and compounds such as nutrients and growth factors in the fluid surrounding a cell in an organism or in the laboratory, which play an…
  28. microfibril Microscopic fibres visible only at the high magnification of the electron microscope.
  29. microgametophyte See: pollen.
  30. micrograft See: shoot-tip graft.
  31. Microinjection A means to introduce a solution of DNA, protein, or other soluble material into a cell using a fine microcapillary pipet.
  32. Micronuclei Chromosome fragments that are not incorporated into the nucleus at cell division.
  33. micronucleus A nucleus, distinct from and smaller than the main nucleus, but lying within the same cell.
  34. micronutrient (MY-kroh-NOO-tree-ent) A substance the body needs in tiny amounts to grow and stay healthy. Examples are vitamins and minerals.
  35. microplast Vesicle produced by subdivision and fragmentation of protoplasts or thin-walled cells.
  36. microprojectile bombardment See: biolistics.
  37. micropropagation Miniaturized in vitro multiplication and/or regeneration of plant material under aseptic and controlled environmental conditions.
  38. micropyle 1. A small opening in the surface of a plant ovule through which the pollen tube passes prior to fertilization. 2.
  39. microsatellite A short sequence of DNA, usually 1 to 4 basepairs (a unit of DNA), that is repeated together in a row along the DNA molecule.
  40. microspore The immature male gametophyte in seed plants; the haploid male cell that ripens into a pollen grain.
  41. microtuber Miniature tuber, produced in tissue culture, which is readily regenerable into a normal tuberous plant.
  42. Microtubule Self-assembling components of the cytoskeleton. Microtubules are cylindrical protein polymers, interconnected by cross-bridging proteins, which…
  43. mid-parent value The average of the phenotypic measure, with respect to a given trait, of the two parents used to generate the population being analysed.
  44. middle lamella A thin exclusively plant membrane separating two adjacent protoplasts and remaining as a distinct cementing layer between adjacent cell walls.
  45. mineralization The conversion of organic compounds into inorganic (mineral) ones. For example, the conversion of ethanol into carbon dioxide and water.
  46. mini-prep A small-scale preparation of plasmid or phage DNA. Used to purify cloned DNA from the DNA of the vector.
  47. Minimal tillage practices Practices that allow farmers to reduce the tilling of the land to conserve topsoil and its nutrients.
  48. minimum effective cell density The cell density below which reproducible cell growth fails. The minimum density is determined by both the source function of the tissue (species…
  49. minimum inoculum size The critical volume of inoculum required to initiate culture growth, due to the diffusive loss of cell materials into the medium.
  50. minisatellite A form of variable number tandem repeats in which the repeat unit size ranges from 10-100 bp. Used for DNA fingerprinting following Southern hybridization.
  51. minituber Small tubers (5-15 mm in diameter) formed on shoot cultures or cuttings of tuber-forming crops, such as potato.
  52. mismatch The occurrence of a non-complementary pairs of bases in a double helix of DNA, e.g. A:C, G:T.
  53. mismatch repair A DNA repair process that corrects mismatched base pairs.
  54. missense mutation A mutation that changes a codon for one amino acid into a codon specifying another amino acid.
  55. mist propagation Application of fine droplets of water to maintain humidity around plantlets or cuttings, which have not yet developed effective roots.
  56. mite Free-living and parasitic arachnids. Infestation of plant crops reduces yield through the destruction of leaf tissue.
  57. Mitochondria (MY-toh-KON-dree-uh) Small structures in a cell that are found in the cytoplasm (fluid that surrounds the cell nucleus).
  58. Mitochondrial DNA (Abbreviation: mtDNA). A circular DNA found in mitochondria. In mammals, mtDNA makes up less than 1% of the total DNA, but in plants the amount is…
  59. Mitochondrial proteins Proteins that are part of the mitochondria.
  60. mitochondrion (pl.: mitochondria) Organelle possessing its own DNA which appear in all eukaryotic cells (and never in prokaryotic cells) and produce adenosine…
  61. mitogen A substance that can cause cells to initiate mitosis.
  62. Mitosis (my-TOH-sis) The process by which a single parent cell divides to make two new daughter cells.
  63. mixed bud A bud containing both rudimentary leaves and flowers.
  64. mixoploid Groups of cells with variable (a mix of euploid, aneuploid, polyploid ) chromosome numbers.
  65. mobilization 1. The transfer between bacteria of a non-conjugative plasmid by a conjugative plasmid. 2.
  66. mobilizing function The genes on a plasmid that give it the ability to facilitate the transfer of either a non-conjugative or a conjugative plasmid from one bacterium to…
  67. mode In a frequency distribution, the class having the greatest frequency.
  68. model See Exhibit.
  69. Model organisms A laboratory animal or other organism useful for research.
  70. Modeling The use of statistical analysis, computer analysis, or model organisms to predict outcomes of research.
  71. modern biotechnology The application of: a. In vitro nucleic acid techniques, including recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA ) and direct injection of nucleic acid into…
  72. Modification Any change to the terms of a mortgage loan, including changes to the interest rate, loan balance, or loan term.
  73. modifying gene A gene that affects the expression of some other gene.
  74. MOET Abbreviation for multiple ovulation and embryo transfer.
  75. Molecular biology The study of the biochemical and mo- lecular interactions within living cells.
  76. molecular chaperone See: chaperone.
  77. Molecular cloning The biological amplification of a specific DNA sequence through mitotic division of a host cell into which it has been transformed or transfected.
  78. Molecular farming The development of transgenic animals to produce human proteins for medical use.
  79. Molecular genetics The study of the flow and regulation of genetic information between DNA, RNA, and protein molecules.
  80. molecular marker (muh-LEH-kyoo-ler ...) A biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a…
  81. Molecular medicine (muh-LEH-kyoo-ler MEH-dih-sin) A branch of medicine that develops ways to diagnose and treat disease by understanding the way genes, proteins, and other…
  82. molecular pharming See: biopharming.
  83. Molecule The smallest particle of a substance that has all of the physical and chemical properties of that substance. Molecules are made up of one or more atoms.
  84. mono-unsaturates Oils containing mono-unsaturated fatty acids (i.e. where one -CH2-CH2- group in the hydrocarbon chain is replaced by -CH=CH-).
  85. Monoclonal From a single cell.
  86. Monoclonal antibodies Immunoglobulin molecules of single- epitope specificity that are secreted by a clone of B cells.
  87. monoclonal antibody (MAH-noh-KLOH-nul AN-tih-BAH-dee) A type of protein made in the laboratory that can locate and bind to substances in the body, including tumor cells.
  88. Monoclonal antibody (MoAb) An exceptionally pure and specific antibody derived from hybridoma cells. Because each of the clones is derived from a single B cell, all of the antibody…
  89. monocot Abbreviation for monocotyledon.
  90. monocotyledon (Abbreviation: monocot). A flowering plant whose embryo has one cotyledon. Examples are cereals (corn, wheat, rice etc.), banana, and lily.
  91. Monoculture The agricultural practice of cultivating crops consisting of genetically similar organisms.
  92. Monocyte A type of white blood cell.
  93. monoecious A plant species that has separate male and female flowers on the same plant (e.g. maize).
  94. monogastric animal A non-ruminant animal with a simple stomach.
  95. Monogenic Controlled by or associated with a single gene.
  96. Monogenic disorder A disorder caused by mutation of a single gene. See also: mutation, polygenic disorder
  97. Monogenic inheritance See: monogenic disorder
  98. monohybrid cross A cross between parents differing in only one trait or in which only one trait is being considered.
  99. monohybrid Heterozygous with respect to one gene.
  100. monokine Generic name for proteins that are released by monocytes to act on other cells involved in the immune response. A sub-class of cytokines.