Food Biotechnology terms starting with P

364 terms

  1. Prokaryote A bacterial cell lacking a true nucleus; its DNA is usually in one long strand. See Eukaryote.
  2. prolactin (proh-LAK-tin) A hormone that is made by the pituitary gland (a pea-sized organ in the center of the brain).
  3. Proliferation Increase by frequent and repeated reproduction; growth by cell division.
  4. Promoter Any person who, directly or indirectly, organizes or assists in the organization of a tax shelter or who participates in the sale of any interests in a…
  5. promoter sequence See: promoter (1).
  6. Pronuclear injection The use of a fine needle to inject DNA into the nucleus of an unfertilized egg.
  7. Pronucleus Either of the two haploid gamete nuclei just prior to their fusion in the fertilized ovum.
  8. proofreading The scanning of newly-synthesized DNA for structural defects, such as mis-matched base pairs. A functional activity of most DNA polymerase s.
  9. propagation The duplication of a whole plant from a range of vegetative materials; adapted for in vitro culture as micropropagation.
  10. propagule Any structure capable of giving rise to a new plant by asexual or sexual reproduction, including bulbils, leafbuds, etc.
  11. prophase The first stage of nuclear division. The stage during which occurs in the first division of meiosis (see: leptonema, zygonema, pachynema, diplonema…
  12. protamine A class of small basic proteins that replace the histones in the chromosomes of some sperm cells.
  13. protease An enzyme that cleaves peptide bonds that link amino acids in protein molecules.
  14. protein (PRO-teen) A molecule made up of amino acids that are needed for the body to function properly.
  15. protein crystallization The production of a pure preparation of a protein. In this form, the three-dimensional structure of the molecule can be determined.
  16. protein drug See: therapeutic agent.
  17. protein engineering Generating proteins with modified structures that confer novel properties such as higher catalytic specificity or thermal stability.
  18. Protein kinase An enzyme that adds phosphate groups to a protein molecule at serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues.
  19. protein metabolic step One step in the chain of reactions that take place in an organism and dictate the composition of that organism.
  20. protein sequencing The process of determining the amino acid sequence of a protein. Usually achieved following initially partial hydrolysis of the protein into smaller…
  21. protein synthesis The creation of proteins from their constituent amino acid s, in accordance with the encoding gene DNA sequence.
  22. proteinaceous infectious particle Believed to be the agent responsible for the class of diseases called spongiform encephalopathies, including scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform…
  23. Proteinaceous infectious particle (prion) A proposed pathogen composed only of protein with no detectable nucleic acid and which is responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and kuru in humans and…
  24. proteolysis Enzymatic degradation of a protein.
  25. Proteolytic The ability to break down protein molecules.
  26. Proteome The complete complement of proteins made by a given species in all its tissues and growth stages.
  27. proteomics The study of the structure and function of proteins, including the way they work and interact with each other inside cells.
  28. Proto-oncogene See oncogene.
  29. protoclone Regenerated plant derived from protoplast culture or a single colony derived from protoplasts in culture.
  30. protocol An action plan for a clinical trial. The plan states what the study will do, how, and why.
  31. protocorm A tuberous structure, formed following the germination of orchid seeds, from which develops a complete plant.
  32. protoderm A primary that gives rise to epidermis.
  33. protogyny The condition in which the female reproductive organs (carpel s) of a flower mature before the male ones (stamen s), thereby ensuring that…
  34. protomeristem See: pro-meristem.
  35. protoplasm The essential, complex living substance of cells, upon which all vital functions of nutrition, secretion, growth and reproduction depend.
  36. protoplast A bacterial or plant cell for which the cell wall has been removed either chemically or enzymatically, leaving its cytoplasm enveloped by a peripheral…
  37. protoplast culture The culturing in vitro of plant protoplast s. Where protoplasts can be regenerated into whole plants, they represent an attractive target for genetic…
  38. protoplast fusion The induced or spontaneous coalescence of two or more protoplast s of the same or different species origin.
  39. prototroph A nutritionally independent cell. Opposite: auxotroph.
  40. Protozoan Single-celled organism that can perform all necessary functions of metabolism and reproduction.
  41. protruding end See: extension.
  42. provenance The geographical and/or genetic origin of an individual.
  43. Provirus See virus.
  44. pseudo-affinity chromatography A chromatographic technique in which a ligand is immobilized selectively to retain enzymes or other protein s.
  45. pseudo-autosomal region A section at one end of the X and Y chromosomes for which there is sufficient homology that there is synapsis between them during meiosis.
  46. pseudocarp A fruit that incorporates, in addition to the ovary wall, other parts of the flower, such as the receptacle (e.g. strawberry). Synonym: false fruit.
  47. pseudogene An incomplete or mutated copy of a gene which is not transcribed because it lacks a continuous open reading frame.
  48. Pseudomonas spp. A widely distributed Gram-negative bacterial genus. Many of the soil forms produce a pigment that fluoresces under ultraviolet light, hence the…
  49. psychrophile A micro-organism that can grow at temperatures below 30 °C and as low as 0 °C. See: mesophile, thermophile.
  50. Public Health Service Act See Food and Drug Administration.
  51. PUC A widely used expression plasmid containing a -galactosidase gene. (See Plasmid.)
  52. pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (Abbreviation: PFGE). A procedure used to separate very large (50 kbp to several Mbp) DNA molecules by alteRNA ting the direction of electric current in a…
  53. punctuated equilibrium The occurrence of speciation events in bursts, separated by long intervals of species stability.
  54. pure line A strain in which all members are genetically nearly identical and are indistinguishable by phenotype.
  55. purification tag See: affinity tag.
  56. Purine A double-ring, nitrogen-containing base present in nucleic acids . Adenine (A) and guanine (G) are the two purines normally present in DNA and RNA…
  57. PVA The Plant Variety Act. See U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  58. PvP Player vs. Player. This means for one player to attack another player.
  59. PVR Abbreviation for plant variety rights.
  60. PWP Abbreviation for permanent wilting point.
  61. pyrethrins Active constituents of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) flowers, used as insecticides.
  62. Pyrimidine A single-ring, nitrogen-containing base present in nucleic acid s. Cytosine (C) and thymine (T) are present in DNA, whereas uracil (U) replaces T in RNA.
  63. pyrogen Bacterial substance that causes fever in mammals.
  64. pyrophosphate A phosphate ion dimer; may be released on hydrolysis of ATP.