Food Biotechnology terms starting with S

300 terms

Sexual reproduction The process where two cells (gametes) fuse to form one hybrid, fertilized cell. See Asexual reproduction, Gamete, Hybrid.
shake culture An agitated suspension in culture providing adequate aeration for cells in the liquid medium.
shaker A platform, with set or variable speed control, used to agitate vessels containing liquid cell cultures. Also described as a platform shaker.
Shear Literally the sliding of one layer across another, with deformation and fracturing in the direction parallel to the movement.
Shine-Dalgarno sequence A conserved sequence of prokaryotic mRNAs that is complementary to a sequence near the 5' terminus of the 16S ribosomal RNA and is involved in the…
shoot apex See: shoot tip.
shoot differentiation The development of growing points, leaf primordia and finally shoots from a shoot tip, axial bud, or callus surface.
shoot tip The terminal bud (0.1 - 1.0 mm) of a plant, which consists of the apical meristem (0.05 - 0.
shoot-tip graft A shoot tip or meristem tip grafted onto a prepared seedling or micropropagated rootstock in culture.
short interspersed nuclear element (Abbreviation: SINE ). Families of short (150-300 bp), moderately repetitive DNA elements of eukaryotic genomes.
short-day plant A plant which will not flower until triggered to do so by exposure to one or a number of dark periods equal to or longer than its critical period.
shotgun genome sequencing A strategy for sequencing a whole genome, in which the genomic DNA is initially fragmented into pieces small enough to be sequenced.
shuttle vector A plasmid capable of replicating in two different host organisms because it carries two different origins of replication and can therefore be used to…
sib-mating The deliberate crossing of siblings. Generally done where self-incompatibility prevents the production of self-fertilized progeny.
siderophore A low molecular weight entity that binds very tightly to iron. Siderophores are synthesized by a variety of soil micro-organisms to ensure that the…
sieve cell A long and slender sieve element in vascular plants, characterized by relatively unspecialized sieve areas and tapering end walls that lack sieve plates.
sieve element The phloem cell concerned with longitudinal conduction of food materials.
sieve plate Perforated wall area in a sieve tube element, through which strands connecting sieve tube protoplasts can pass.
sieve tube A tube within the phloem tissue of a plant, composed of joined sieve elements.
sigma factor The sub-unit of prokaryotic RNA polymerases responsible for the initiation of transcription at specific initiation sequences.
signal peptide See: signal sequence.
signal sequence A stretch of 15-30 amino acid residues at the N terminus of a protein, which is thought to enable the protein to be secreted (pass through a cell…
signal transduction (SIG-nul trans-DUK-shun) The process by which a cell responds to substances in its environment.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio A specifically produced response (signal) compared to the response level (noise) when no specific stimulus (activity) is present.
silencing Loss of gene expression either through an alteration in the of a structural gene, or its regulatory region; or because of interactions between its…
silent mutation See: mutation.
simple sequence repeat (Abbreviation: SSR). See: microsatellite.
SINE Without.
single copy A gene or DNA sequence which occurs only once per (haploid ) genome. Many structural genes are single copy.
single domain antibody See: dAb.
single node culture Culture of separate lateral bud s, each carrying a piece of stem tissue.
single nucleotide polymorphism (... NOO-klee-oh-TIDE PAH-lee-MOR-fih-zum) The most common type of change in DNA (molecules inside cells that carry genetic information).
single primer amplification reaction (Abbreviation: SPAR). A PCR-based genotyping technique in which genomic template is amplified with a single primer.
single-cell line See: cell strain.
single-cell protein (Abbreviation: SCP). Protein produced by micro-organisms, particularly yeast. Used as either a feed or a food additive.
single-strand conformational polymorphism (Abbreviation: SSCP). A technique for detection of mutations in a defined DNA sequence.
single-strand DNA binding protein A protein that coats single-stranded DNA, preventing renaturation and so maintaining the DNA in an extended state.
single-stranded DNA (Abbreviation: ssDNA). DNA molecules separated from their complementary strand, either by its absence or following denaturation.
single-stranded nucleic acid Nucleic acid molecules consisting of only one polynucleotide chain. The genomes of many viruses are single-stranded DNA molecules, as are most…
SIRE Male animal chosen for breeding.
sister chromatid exchange (Abbreviation: SCE). Reciprocal interchanges of the two chromatid arms within a single chromosome.
Site-directed mutagenesis The process of introducing spe- cific base-pair mutations into a gene.
Site-Specific A term used to describe any process or enzyme which acts at a defined sequence within a DNA or RNA molecule.
site-specific mutagenesis The induction of mutation s, by molecular biology techniques, in one or more specific nucleotide s within a defined coding sequence in order to create…
sitosterol See: phytosterol.
six-base cutter Type II restriction endonucleases whose recognition site and cleavage site consist of a characteristic sequence of six nucleotide pairs.
small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (Abbreviation: snRNP). A complex of small nuclear RNA and nuclear protein, heavily involved in the post-transcriptional processing of mRNA, especially the…
small nuclear RNA (Abbreviation: snRNA ). RNA transcripts of 100-300 bp that associate with proteins to form small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles.
Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) Short RNA transcripts of 100-300 bp that associate with proteins to form small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs), which participate in RNA…
SNP The most common type of change in DNA (molecules inside cells that carry genetic information).
snRNA See Small nuclear RNA.
snRNP Abbreviation for small nuclear ribonucleoprotein.
sodium dodecyl sulphate (Abbreviation: SDS). A detergent used to solubilize protein and DNA from biological materials.
sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Abbreviation: SDS-PAGE). A widely employed electrophoretic method for the separation of proteins from biological samples.
soil amelioration The improvement of poor soils. Includes the fungal and bacterial break down of plant organic matter, to form humus; the release of minerals - such as…
Soil conservation practices See minimal tillage practices.
soil-less culture Growing plants in nutrient solution without soil. Synonym: hydroponics.
solid medium Nutrient medium solidified by the addition of a gelling agent, commonly agar.
somaclonal variation Epigenetic or genetic changes induced during the callus phase of plant cells cultured in vitro.
somatic (soh-MA-tik) Having to do with the body.
Somatic cell (soh-MA-tik ...) Any of the body cells except the reproductive (germ) cells.
somatic cell embryogenesis The process of differentiation of somatic embryos either from explant cells (direct embryogenesis), or from callus generated from explants (indirect…
Somatic cell gene therapy The repair or replacement of a defective gene within somatic tissue. (See Somatic cell.)
somatic cell hybrid panel A panel of cells created by cell fusion, typically involving a reference species (e.g. hamster) and the species of interest (e.g.
somatic cell variant A somatic cell with unique characters not present in the other cells, and which could be selected for by an appropriate screen.
Somatic cells Cells of body tissues other than the germline.
somatic embryo An organized embryo -like structure. Although morphologically similar to a zygotic embryo it is initiated from somatic plant cells.
somatic hybridization Naturally occurring or induced fusion of somatic protoplasts or cells of two genetically different parents. The difference may be as wide as interspecific.
somatic hypermutation The high frequency of mutation that occurs in the gene segments encoding the variable regions of immunoglobulins during the differentiation of B…
somatic reduction Halving of the chromosomal number of somatic cells; a possible method of producing "haploids" from somatic cells and calli by artificial means.
somatocrinin Growth hormone-releasing hormone. See: growth hormone.
Somatostatin Growth hormone-inhibiting hormone. See: growth hormone.
Somatotrophin See Human growth hormone.
somatotropin (SOH-muh-toh-TROH-pin) A protein made by the pituitary gland that helps control body growth and the use of glucose and fat in the body.
sonication Disruption of cells or DNA molecules by high frequency sound waves.
SOS response The synthesis of a whole set of DNA repair, recombination and replication proteins in bacteria suffering severe DNA damage (e.g.
source DNA The DNA from an organism that contains a target gene, and used as the starting material in a cloning experiment.
source organism A bacterium, plant or animal from which DNA is purified and used in a cloning experiment.
Southern blot A nitrocellulose or nylon membrane to which DNA fragments previously separated by gel electrophoresis, have been transferred by capillary action.
Southern blotting See Southern hybridization.
Southern hybridization A procedure in which a cloned, labelled segment of DNA is hybridized to DNA restriction fragments on a Southern blot.
Southern hybridization (Southern blotting) A procedure in which DNA restriction fragments are transferred from an agarose gel to a nitrocellulose filter, where the denatured DNA is then hybridized…
spacer sequence A DNA sequence separating neighbouring genes; spacer sequences are not usually transcribed.
SPAR Abbreviation for single primer amplification reaction.
sparger A device that introduces, into a bioreactor, air in the form of fine bubbles.
spatial autocorrelation statistics A set of statistical parameters aimed to depict the spatial (geographical) pattern of genetic diversity in a population.
speciation The evolutionary differentiation of a pre-existing species into one or more distinct species.
Species Organisms in the same genus that have similar characteristics.
specific combining ability (Abbreviation: SCA). A component of genetic variance calculable where a number of genotypes are intercrossed in all possible combinations.
specificity When referring to a medical test, specificity refers to the percentage of people who test negative for a specific disease among a group of people who do…
spent medium After sub-culture, medium which is discarded because it has been depleted of nutrients, dehydrated, or accumulated toxic metabolic products.
sperm Abbreviation for spermatozoon.
sperm competition Competition between different spermatozoa to fertilize the of a single female.
sperm sexing The separation of mammalian sperm into those bearing an X chromosome and those bearing a Y chromosome, in order to be able to produce, via artificial…
spermatid Immature spermatozoon. One of the four cells formed at the end of the second meiotic division in spermatogenesis.
spermatocyte The premeiotic parental cell of the spermatids; the primary spermatocyte before the initiation of the first meiotic division; the secondary spermatocyte…
spermatogenesis The series of cell divisions in the testis as a result of which the formation and the maturation of the male gametes (i.e. sperm) are achieved.
spermatogonium (pl.: spermatogonia) Primordial male germ cell. These can either divide by mitosis to produce daughter cells, or enter a growth phase and differentiate…
spermatozoon (Abbreviation: sperm). (pl.: spermatozoa) The mature, mobile gametic cell of male animals, produced in the testis.
spharoblast Nodule of wood which can give rise to adventitious shoots with juvenile characteristics.