Biotechnology and Genetics terms starting with M

271 terms

  1. monolayer A single layer of cells growing on a surface.
  2. monolignols The building blocks of lignin that undergo polymerization.
  3. monomer (MAH-nuh-mer) A molecule that can join with other identical monomers to form a larger structure called a polymer.
  4. monomorphic Absence of variation for a marker, gene, chromosome, or genetically determined trait in a population.
  5. Mononucleocyte A cell containing a single nucleus. Generally refers to a white blood cell.
  6. monophyletic A group of organisms that are assumed to have originated from the same ancestor.
  7. monoploid See: haploid.
  8. monosaccharide A simple sugar (e.g. glucose, fructose). See:.
  9. monosomic A form of aneuploidy in which a diploid organism lacks one member of a homologous chromosome pair.
  10. Monosomy Possessing only one copy of a particular chromosome instead of the normal two copies. See also cell, chromosome, trisomy
  11. monozygotic twin One of a pair of twins derived from a single fertilized egg. Synonym: identical twin.
  12. Morbid map A diagram showing the chromosomal location of genes associated with disease.
  13. morphogen A substance that stimulates the development of form or structure in an organism.
  14. morphogenesis The development, through growth and differentiation, of form and structure in an organism.
  15. morphogenic response The effect on the developmental history of a plant or its parts exposed to a given set of growth conditions or to a change in the environment.
  16. Morphology (mor-FAH-loh-jee) The science of the form and structure of organisms (plants, animals, and other forms of life).
  17. Morula A solid mass of cells that resembles a mulberry and result from the cleavage of an ovum.
  18. Mosaic A web browser popular before the introduction of Netscape and Internet Explorer.
  19. mother plant See: donor plant.
  20. MOTIF A conserved sequence of nucleotides or amino acids that can be associated with some function of, respectively, a length of DNA or a protein.
  21. Mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells are used as feeder cells when culturing pluripotent stem cells.
  22. mouse model The use of special strains of mice to study a human disease or condition, and how to prevent and treat it.
  23. Movable genetic element (See Transposon.)
  24. mRNA See Messenger RNA.
  25. MRU Abbreviation for minimum recognition units. See: dAb.
  26. mtDNA Abbreviation for mitochondrial DNA.
  27. multi-copy Describing plasmids which replicate to produce many copies per host bacterial cell.
  28. Multi-locus probe A probe that hybridizes to a number of different sites in the genome of an organism. (See Probe.)
  29. Multifactorial or multigenic disorder See: polygenic disorder
  30. multigene family A set of genes (not necessarily mapping to the same genomic location) that are related in nucleotide sequence and/or that produce polypeptides with…
  31. multigenic Trait controlled by several genes, as opposed to monogenic. Synonym: polygenic.
  32. multimer A protein made up of more than one polypeptide chain.
  33. multiple alleles The existence of more than two alleles at a locus in a population.
  34. multiple arbitrary amplicon profiling A collective term for a number of related polymerase chain reaction techniques, all of which use arbitrary primers, and which generate a number of…
  35. multiple cloning site (Abbreviation: MCS). See: polylinker.
  36. multiple drop array (Abbreviation: MDA). See: microdroplet array.
  37. multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 1 (MEN1) A rare inherited disorder that affects the endocrine glands, which release hormones into the bloodstream.
  38. multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (Abbreviation: MOET). A technology by which a single female that usually produces only one or two offspring can produce a litter of offspring.
  39. multiplex 1. The simultaneous amplification of a number of amplicons in a single polymerase chain reaction, achieved by including more than one set of primers in…
  40. Multiplexing A laboratory approach that performs multiple sets of reactions in parallel (simultaneously); greatly increasing speed and throughput.
  41. Multipotent As applied to stem cells, the ability to differentiate into at least two, more differentiated descendant cells.
  42. Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells (MAPC) Cells isolated from bone marrow that can be differentiated into cells with characteristics of cartilage, fat, and bone.
  43. Multipotent stem cells Stem cells whose progeny are of multiple differentiated cell types, but all within a particular tissue, organ, or physiological system.
  44. multivalent vaccine A vaccine designed to elicit an immune response either to more than one infectious agent or to several different antigenic determinants of a single agent.
  45. Murine Organism in the genus Mus. A rat or mouse.
  46. mutable gene A gene which has an unusually high rate of mutation.
  47. Mutagen (MYOO-tuh-jen) Anything that causes a mutation (a change in the DNA of a cell).
  48. mutagenesis Induction of heritable change(s) in the genetic constitution of a cell through alterations to its DNA.
  49. Mutagenicity The capacity of a chemical or physical agent to cause permanent genetic alterations. See also: somatic cell genetic mutation
  50. mutant An organism or an allele bearing a mutation. Usually applied when a characteristic change in phenotype can be recognized.
  51. Mutation (myoo-TAY-shun) Any change in the DNA of a cell. Mutations may be caused by mistakes during cell division, or they may be caused by exposure to…
  52. Mutation breeding Commonly used practices in plant breeding and other areas in which chemicals or radiation are applied to whole organisms, for example plants, or cells so…
  53. mutation pressure A constant mutation rate that adds mutant genes to a population; repeated occurrences of mutations in a population.
  54. Mutualism See Symbiosis.
  55. mycelium (pl.: mycelia) Threadlike filament making up the vegetative portion of thallus fungi.
  56. Mycoplasma A general category of microorganisms that shares some characteristics of bacteria.
  57. mycoprotein Fungal protein.
  58. mycorrhiza Fungi that form an association with, or have a symbiotic relationship with roots of more developed plants.
  59. Mycorrhizae Fungi that form symbiotic relationships with roots of more developed plants.
  60. mycotoxin Toxic substance of fungal origin, e.g. aflatoxin.
  61. Myelin (MY-eh-lin) The fatty substance that covers and protects nerves.
  62. Myelin basic protein (MPB) A structural protein within the myelin sheath surrounding neurons.
  63. Myelin sheath (my' uh lin) the tubular structure that surrounds the nerve fibers.
  64. Myeloid (MY-eh-loyd) Having to do with or resembling the bone marrow. May also refer to certain types of hematopoietic (blood-forming) cells found in the bone…
  65. Myeloid stem cells Precursors to the other lines of blood cells: erythrocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, and platelets.
  66. myeloma (MY-eh-LOH-muh) Cancer that arises in plasma cells, a type of white blood cell.
  67. myo inositol See: inositol.
  68. Myocyte A muscular tissue cell.
  69. MyoD1 A group of four basic myogenic regulatory factors (helix-loop-helix transcription) and a newly discovered factor called muscle enhancer factor-2 which…
  70. Myosin A protein in muscle fibers.
  71. Myosin light chain There are four light chain subunits containing complex molecules that form contractile units in skeletal muscle.