Biotechnology and Genetics — page 39 of 40

3,925 terms including subtopics (0 terms filed directly here)

Subtopics

Biotechnology and Genetics terms

  1. uracil (YOOR-uh-sil) One of four building blocks of ribonucleic acid (RNA), a type of nucleic acid found in all cells.
  2. uridine The (ribo)nucleoside resulting from the combination of the base uracil (U) and the sugar D-ribose. See: uridylic acid, uridine triphosphate.
  3. uridine triphosphate (uridine 5'-triphosphate) (Abbreviation: UTP). Required for RNA synthesis since it is a direct precursor molecule. See: uridylic acid.
  4. uridylic acid Synonym for uridine 5'-monophosphate (abbreviation: UMP), a (ribo)nucleotide containing the base uracil. See: uridine triphosphate.
  5. USDA See The U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  6. Uterine Pertaining to the uterus.
  7. utilization of farm animal genetic resources The use and development of animal genetic resources for the production of food in a sustainable system of agriculture.
  8. UTP See: uridine triphosphate.
  9. V region Variable region in antibodies. See: CDR.
  10. V&V Abbreviation for volume per volume. The relative proportion of each liquid in a mixture.
  11. vaccination Treatment with a vaccine.
  12. vaccine A substance or group of substances meant to cause the immune system to respond to a tumor or to microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses.
  13. Vaccinia The cowpox virus used to vaccinate against smallpox and, experimentally, as a carrier of genes for antigenic determinants cloned from other disease…
  14. vacuole A fluid-filled membrane-bound cavity inside many plant cells, in which various plant products and by-products are stored.
  15. variable domain Regions of antibody molecules that have different amino acid sequences in different antibody molecules.
  16. variable expressivity Variation in the phenotype caused by different alleles of the same gene and/or by the action of other genes and/or by the action of non-genetic factors.
  17. variable number tandem repeat (Abbreviation: VNTR). A DNA sequence, present as tandem repeats, for which the number of copies varies greatly between unrelated genotypes.
  18. variable surface glycoprotein (Abbreviation: VSG). One of a battery of antigenic determinants expressed by a micro-organism to elude immune detection.
  19. Variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) One of a battery of antigenic determinants expressed by a microorganism to elude immune detection.
  20. Variance A special exemption of a zoning law to allow the property to be used in a manner different from an existing law.
  21. variant An individual that is genetically distinct from others in the population.
  22. Variation Differences in the frequency of genes and traits among individual organisms within a population.
  23. variegation The occurrence, within a single tissue, organ or organism, of mosaicism. Usually referring to plants showing either both green and albino colouration in a…
  24. Variety 1. A naturally occurring subdivision of a species, with distinct morphological characters. 2.
  25. Vascular Plant tissue specialized for the conduction of water or nutrients
  26. vascular bundle A strand of tissue containing and primary phloem (and procambium if present) and frequently enclosed by a bundle sheath of parenchyma or fibres.
  27. vascular cambium In biennials and perennials, cambium giving rise to secondary phloem and secondary xylem.
  28. vascular plant Plant species possessing organized vascular tissues.
  29. vascular system 1. A specialized network of vessels for the circulation of fluids throughout the body tissue of an animal. 2. The system of in plants.
  30. vector any living creature that transmits an infectious agent to humans.
  31. vegetative propagation See: asexual propagation.
  32. velocity density gradient centrifugation A procedure used to separate macromolecules based on their rate of movement through a density gradient.
  33. velogenetics The combined use of marker-assisted selection and embryo technologies such as OPU, IVM and IVF, in order to increase the rate of genetic improvement in…
  34. vermiculite Material made from expanded mica used as a rooting medium and as a soil additive.
  35. vernalization Chilling juvenile plants for a minimum period in order to induce flowering. Some plants require veRNA lization to flower, but others have no such…
  36. Vertical transmission Inheritance of a gene from parent to offspring.
  37. Vessel A series of xylem elements whose function is to conduct water and nutrients in plants.
  38. vessel element A type of cell occurring within the xylem of flowering plants. Many are water-conducting vessels.
  39. viability The capability to live and develop normally.
  40. viability test Assay of the number or percent of living cells or plants in a population following a specific treatment.
  41. viable Capable of normal completion of life cycle.
  42. vibrio Comma-shaped bacterium.
  43. Villi Projections from the surface, especially of a mucous membrane. If the projection is minute, as in a cell surface, it is called a microvillus.
  44. Vimentin The major polypeptide that joins with other subunits to form the intermediate filament cytoskeleton of mesenchymal cells.
  45. vir genes A set of genes on a Ti plasmid that prepare the T-DNA segment for transfer into a plant cell.
  46. viral coat protein A protein present in the layer surrounding the nucleic acid core of a virus.
  47. Viral oncogene A viral gene that contributes to malig- nancies in vertebrate hosts. (See Oncogene.)
  48. viral pathogen A disease-causing virus.
  49. viral vaccine Vaccine consisting of live viruses, genetically engineered to avoid causing the disease itself.
  50. virion A complete infectious virus particle.
  51. Viroid A plant pathogen that consists of a naked RNA molecule of approximately 250-350 nucleotides, whose extensive base pairing results in a nearly correct…
  52. virulence The ability of a microorganism to cause damage to its host.
  53. virulent phage A phage that destroys its host bacterium.
  54. viruliferous A vector (usually insect) organism that carries virions and spreads the virus from host to host by mechanical means.
  55. Virus (VY-rus) In medicine, a very simple microorganism that infects cells and may cause disease.
  56. virus-free Plant, animal, cell, tissue or meristem which exhibits no viral symptoms or contains no identifiable virus particles.
  57. virus-tested Description of a organism or a cell stock certified as being free of certain specified virus es following recognized procedures of virus diagnosis.
  58. vitamin A key nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to grow and stay strong. Examples are vitamins A, C, and E.
  59. Vitamins Various substances that are essential in minute quantities to the nutrition of animals and plants.
  60. vitrified Cultured tissue having leaves and sometimes stems with a glassy, transparent or wet and often swollen appearance.
  61. viviparous (adj.) See: vivipary.
  62. vivipary 1. A form of reproduction in animals in which the developing embryo obtains its nourishment directly from the mother via a placenta or by other means. 2.
  63. Vmax The maximal rate of an enzyme-catalysed reaction. Vmax is the product of Eo (the total amount of enzyme ) and Kcat (the catalytic rate constant).
  64. VNTR Abbreviation for variable number tandem repeat.
  65. volatilization The conversion of a solid or liquid into a gas or vapour.
  66. VSG See Variable surface glycoprotein.
  67. w/v Abbreviation for weight per volume. The relative proportions of solid and liquid in a solution.
  68. walking See: chromosome walking; primer walking.
  69. wall pressure Pressure that a cell wall exerts against the turgor of the cell contents. Wall pressure is equal and opposite to the turgor potential.
  70. wash-out The loss of the slower growing micro-organism when two organisms are being grown together.
  71. water potential The pressure gradient that induces the flow of water, particularly with reference to plant water uptake from the soil, comprising the net effects of…
  72. water soaked See: vitrified.
  73. water stress Occurs when plants are unable to absorb enough water to replace that lost by transpiration. Short-term water stress leads to turgor loss (wilting).
  74. wax Water-insoluble esters of long-chain acids with long-chain alcohols. Waxes form protective waterproof layers on leaves, stems, fruits, animal fur and…
  75. Weed An undesirable plant.
  76. Weediness Unwanted effects of a plant.
  77. Western blot A test for detecting the specific antibodies to HIV in a person's blood. It is commonly used to verify positive EIA tests.
  78. wet weight See: fresh weight.
  79. wetting agent A substance (usually a detergent) that improves the contact of a liquid to a solid surface by reducing its surface tension.
  80. White blood cell (WBC) The primary effector cells against infection and tissue damage. WBCs are formed from the undifferentiated stem cell that can give rise to all blood cells.
  81. White Blood Cells Cells that fight infection.
  82. Wild type An organism as found in nature; the organism before it is genetically engineered.
  83. wilt Drooping of stems and foliage due to loss of cell turgor. May be caused by water stress or by disease.
  84. Wilting point The moisture content of soil at which plants start to wilt, but not to the extent that they fail to recover when placed in a humid atmosphere.
  85. wobble hypothesis An explanation of how one tRNA may recognize more than one codon. The first two bases of the mRNA codon and anticodon pair properly, but the third base in…
  86. Wolfram syndrome A rare autosomal recessive disorder that leads to many different abnormalities, including diabetes mellitus, deafness, and blindness.
  87. Working Draft DNA Sequence See: Draft DNA Sequence
  88. x The basic number of chromosomes in a polyploid series, monoploid/haploid = x; diploid = 2x; triploid = 3x; etc.
  89. X chromosome See: sex chromosome.
  90. X inactivation The normal inactivation of one of the two X chromosomes in females.
  91. X-linked The presence of a gene on the X-chromosome.
  92. X-linked disease A genetic disease caused by a mutation on the X chromosome. In X-linked recessive conditions, a normal female "carrier" passes on the mutated X chromosome…
  93. X-ray crystallography The diffraction pattern of X-rays passing through a pure crystal of a substance.
  94. xanthophyll A yellow oxygen-containing carotenoid, present in chloroplasts.
  95. xenia The immediate effect of pollen on some characters of the endosperm.
  96. xenobiotic A chemical compound that is not produced by, and often cannot be degraded by, living organisms.
  97. xenogeneic Refers to organ s, genetically engineered ("humanized") todecrease the chance of rejection, that have been grown in an animal of another species for…
  98. Xenograft The cells of one species transplanted to another species.
  99. Xenotransplantation The transplantation of tissue or organs from one species to another species, typically from pigs to humans. Zoonoses are an important issue.
  100. Xenotransplantion A transplant of tissue from an animal of one species to an animal of another species.