Food Biotechnology terms starting with C

340 terms

  1. coding sequence That portion of a gene which directly specifies the amino acid sequence of its product.
  2. coding strand The strand of a DNA double helix that contains the same base sequence (after substituting U for T) found in the mRNA molecule resulting from transcription…
  3. Codon A group of three nucleotides that specifies addition of one of the 20 amino acids during translation of an mRNA into a polypeptide.
  4. codon optimization An experimental strategy in which codons within a cloned gene - ones not generally used by the host cell translation system - are changed by in vitro…
  5. Coenzyme (cofactor) An organic molecule, such as a vitamin, that binds to an enzyme and is required for its catalytic activity.
  6. Cofactor See Coenzyme.
  7. cohesive end See: extension.
  8. coincidence The ratio of the observed to the expected frequency of double cross-overs, where the expected frequency is calculated by assuming that the two cross-over…
  9. colchicine An alkaloid, obtained from the autumn crocus Colchicum autumnale, which inhibits spindle formation.
  10. coleoptile Protective sheath covering the shoot apex of the embryo in the grasses.
  11. coleorhiza A protective sheath surrounding the radicle in the grasses.
  12. collenchyma A tissue of living cells, found particularly in midribs and leaf petioles. Characterized by cell walls unevenly thickened with cellulose and…
  13. Colony A group of identical cells (clones) derived from a single progenitor cell.
  14. colony hybridization A technique that uses a nucleic acid probe to identify a recombinant bacterial colony carrying a particular inserted DNA.
  15. combinatorial library The many novel combinations (consisting of one heavy and one light immunoglobulin chain coding region) that are generated when a heavy-chain library is…
  16. combining site See: antibody binding site.
  17. Commensalism The close association of two or more dissimilar organisms where the association is advantageous to one and doesn't affect the other(s).
  18. companion cell A living cell associated with the sieve cell of phloem tissue in vascular plants.
  19. comparative mapping The comparison of map locations of genes and markers between species. In comparisons between closely related species, this will usually uncover a high…
  20. comparative positional candidate gene Relates to an indirect means of assigning function to a QTL. Where a QTL has been linked to a marker in one species, and that same marker is linked to a…
  21. Competency An ephemeral state, induced by treatment with cold cations, during which bacterial cells are capable of uptaking foreign DNA.
  22. competent 1. Bacterial cells able to take up foreign DNA molecules and thereby become genetically transformed.
  23. complement proteins Protein s that bind to antibody -antigen complexes and help degrade the complexes by proteolysis.
  24. complementarity 1. See: complementary. 2. The similar correspondence between DNA and the mRNA transcribed from it.
  25. complementarity-determining regions (Abbreviation: CDR). Regions of the light and heavy subunits of the immunoglobulin molecules that interact with the antigen.
  26. complementary Two DNA molecules are complementary to one another when each successive base position from the 5' end in the first molecule is matched by the…
  27. complementary DNA (Abbreviation: cDNA ). A DNA strand synthesized in vitro from a mature RNA template using reverse transcriptase.
  28. Complementary DNA or RNA The matching strand of a DNA or RNA molecule to which its bases pair. (See DNA, RNA.)
  29. complementary entity 1. Synonym of base pair. 2. One of a pair of segments or strands of nucleic acid that will hybridize with one another.
  30. complementary genes Two or more interdependent genes, such that (in the case of dominant complementarity) the dominant allele from either gene can only produce an effect on…
  31. complementary homopolymeric tailing The process of adding complementary nucleotide extensions to DNA molecules, (e.g.
  32. Complementary nucleotides Members of the pairs adenine-thymine, adenine-uracil, and guaninecytosine that have the ability to hydrogen bond to one another. (See nucleotide.)
  33. complementation See: genetic complementation.
  34. complementation test A genetic method to test whether or not independent mutations are allelic. In a cross between the two mutant individuals, the genotype will be m1m2 if the…
  35. complete digest The treatment of a DNA preparation with a restriction endonuclease for sufficient time for all of the potential target sites within that DNA to have been…
  36. composite transposon A transposon formed when two identical or nearly identical transposons insert on either side of a non-transposable segment of DNA.
  37. compound chromosome A chromosome formed by the fusion of two separate chromosomes, as in attached-X chromosomes or attached-X-Y chromosomes.
  38. Concatemer A DNA segment composed of repeated sequences linked end to end.
  39. concordance Identity of matched pairs or groups for a given trait, such as sibs expressing the same trait.
  40. conditional lethal mutation A mutation that is lethal under one set of environmental conditions (the restrictive conditions, commonly associated with high temperature) but is viable…
  41. conditioning 1. The effects on phenotypic characters of external agents during critical developmental stages. 2.
  42. conformation The various three dimensional shapes that can be adopted by a given molecule. In particular, the different ways in which the of a biological polymer may…
  43. conidium (pl.: conidia) An produced by a specialized hypha in certain fungi.
  44. Conjugation The joining of two bacteria cells when genetic material is transferred from one bacterium to another.
  45. conjugative functions Plasmid-based genes and their products that facilitate the transfer of a plasmid from one bacterium to another via conjugation.
  46. consanguinity Related by descent from a common ancestor.
  47. consensus sequence The part of a gene or signal sequence that is shared over a wide range of members of a gene family, both within a given species, or in comparisons between…
  48. Conservation See: gene (resources) conservation, conserved sequence
  49. Conserved sequence An identical or highly similar sequence of nucleotides or amino acids which occurs as part, or all of a number of different genes or protein s, in either…
  50. constant domains Regions of antibody chains that have the same amino acid sequence in different members of a particular class of antibody molecules.
  51. constitutive The expression of a gene without any requirement for induction.
  52. constitutive gene A gene that is continually expressed in all cells of an organism.
  53. Constitutive promoter An unregulated promoter that allows for continual transcription of its associated gene. (See Promoter.)
  54. constitutive synthesis Continual synthesis of a gene product by an organism.
  55. construct An engineered chimeric DNA designed to be transferred into a cell or tissue. Typically, the construct comprises the gene or genes of interest, a marker…
  56. contained use See: containment.
  57. containment Measures and protocols applied to limit contact of genetically modified organisms or pathogens with the external environment. Synonym: contained use.
  58. Contaminant 1. An undesired chemical present in a compound or mixture of compounds. 2. Any micro-organism accidentally introduced into a culture or culture medium.
  59. contig A set of overlapping cloned DNA fragments that can be assembled to represent a defined region of the chromosome or genome from which they were obtained.
  60. Contiguous (contig) map The alignment of sequence data from large, adjacent regions of the genome to produce a continuous nucleotide sequence across a chromosomal region.
  61. continuous culture A suspension culture continuously supplied with nutrients by the inflow of fresh medium. The culture volume is normally constant.
  62. continuous fermentation A process in which cells or micro-organisms are maintained in culture in the exponential growth phase by the continuous addition of fresh medium that is…
  63. continuous variation Variation where individuals cannot be classified as belonging to one of a set of discrete classes.
  64. Control elements DNA sequences in genes that interact with regulatory proteins (such as transcription factors) to determine the rate and timing of expression of the genes…
  65. Controlled Environment A closed environment in which parameters, such as light, temperature, relative humidity and sometimes the partial gas pressure (and possibly its…
  66. controlling element In eukaryotes, transposons which affect the activity of known genes. This can occur as a result of the integration within, or close to a gene, thereby…
  67. Convention on Biological Diversity (Abbreviation: CBD). The inteRNA tional treaty governing the conservation and use of biological resources around the world, that has also called for the…
  68. Conversion The ability, in some states, to switch your job-based coverage to an individual policy when you lose eligibility for job-based coverage.
  69. coordinate repression Correlated regulation of a structural gene within an operon by a molecule that interacts with the operator.
  70. Copy DNA See cDNA.
  71. copy number The number of a particular plasmid per bacterium cell, or gene per genome.
  72. corpus The body of the uterus.
  73. Correlation In investment terms, correlation is the extent to which the values of different types of investments move in tandem with one another in response to…
  74. cortex Primary tissue of a stem or root, bounded externally by the epidermis and internally in the stem by the phloem, and in the root by the pericycle.
  75. cos ends The 12-base, single-strand, complementary extensions of bacteriophage lambda DNA.
  76. cos sites See cos ends.
  77. Cosmid A synthetic plasmid which incorporates the cos ends, and one or more selectable markers such as an antibiotic resistance gene.
  78. cot curve A method to estimate the heterogeneity of sequence of a DNA preparation, based on the observation that the more homogenous the DNA, the more easily (and…
  79. cotyledon Leaf-like structures at the first node of the seedling stem. In some dicotyledons, they represent a food storage organ for the germinating seedling.
  80. coupling The phase state in which either two dominant or two recessive alleles of two different genes occur on the same chromosome. Synonym: cis configuration.
  81. covalently-closed circular DNA (Abbreviation: ccc DNA). A DNA molecule in which the free ends have ligated to form a circle. The strands remain linked together even after denaturation.
  82. CP4 EPSPS Abbreviation for CP4 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase. See: enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase.
  83. cpDNA Abbreviation for chloroplast DNA.
  84. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) A disease of humans hypothesized to be caused by a prion, or a small protein, which alters the structure of a normal brain protein, resulting in…
  85. cross The mating of two individuals or populations. See: cross-breeding.
  86. cross pollination efficiency The ease with which cross pollination can be achieved. Generally measured by the number of hybrid progeny generated per flower pollinated.
  87. cross-breeding Mating between members of different populations (lines, breeds, races or species). See: cross.
  88. Cross-hybridization The hydrogen bonding of a single- stranded DNA sequence that is partially but not entirely complementary to a singlestranded substrate.
  89. cross-over See: chiasma.
  90. Cross-pollination Fertilization of a plant from a plant with a different genetic makeup.
  91. Crossing over The exchange of DNA sequences between chromatids of homologous chromosomes during meiosis.
  92. crossing-over unit See: recombination fraction.
  93. Crown The base of the stem of cereals and forage species from which tillers or branches arise. In woody plants, the root-stem junction.
  94. crown gall A tumorous growth at the base of certain plants characteristic of infection by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
  95. CRP Abbreviation for catabolite regulator protein. See: catabolite activator protein.
  96. cry proteins A class of crystalline proteins produced by strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, and engineered into crop plants to give resistance against insect pests.
  97. Cry1A A protein derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that is toxic to some insects when ingested.
  98. cryobiological preservation The preservation of germplasm resources in a dormant state by storage at ultra-low temperatures, often in liquid nitrogen.
  99. Cryogenic At very low temperature.
  100. cryopreservation The process of cooling and storing cells, tissues, or organs at very low or freezing temperatures to save them for future use.