Food Biotechnology — page 17 of 34

3,375 terms

Food Biotechnology terms

  1. indirect embryogenesis Plant embryo formation on callus tissues derived from explants, including zygotic or somatic embryos and seedlings. Opposite: direct embryogenesis.
  2. indirect organogenesis Plant organ formation on callus tissues derived from explants . Opposite: direct organogenesis.
  3. inducer A low-molecular-weight compound or a physical agent that associates with a repressor protein to produce a complex that can no longer bind to the operator.
  4. inducible A gene or gene product whose transcription or synthesis is increased by exposure of the cells to an inducer or to a condition, e.g. heat.
  5. inducible enzyme An enzyme that is synthesized only in the presence of the substrate that acts as an inducer.
  6. inducible gene A gene that is expressed only in the presence of a specific metabolite, the inducer.
  7. inducible promoter The activation of a promoter in response to either the presence of a particular compound, i.e. the inducer, or to a defined external condition, e.g.
  8. Induction The act or process of causing some specific effect to occur; for example the transcription of a specific gene or operon, or the production of a protein by…
  9. induction media 1. Media used to induce the formation of organs or other structures. 2. Media causing variation or mutation in the tissues exposed to it.
  10. inembryonation See: artificial inembryonation.
  11. Infection Invasion and multiplication of germs in the body. Infections can occur in any part of the body and can spread throughout the body.
  12. infectious agent Synonym of pathogen.
  13. infiltrate The entry of liquid into pores or other spaces.
  14. inflorescence The flowers of a plant, and the way those flowers are arranged.
  15. inheritance The transmission of genes and phenotypes from generation to generation.
  16. inhibitor 1. Any substance or object that retards a chemical reaction. 2. A metabolite or modifier gene that interferes with a reaction or with the expression of…
  17. Initial Being first, before anything else occurs.
  18. initiation Causing something to start. 1. Early steps or stages of a tissue culture process. 2. Early stages of biosynthesis.
  19. Initiation codon The mRNA sequence AUG, coding for methionine, which initiates translation of mRNA.
  20. initiation factor Soluble protein required for the initiation of translation.
  21. inoculate Deliberately introduce, in contrast to contamination. 1. In bacteriology, tissue culture, etc.
  22. inoculation cabinet Small room or cabinet for inoculation (of tissue or micro-organism cultures) operations, often with a current of sterile air to carry contaminants away…
  23. inoculum (pl.: inocula) 1. A small piece of tissue cut from callus, or an explant from a tissue or organ, or a small amount of cell material from a suspension…
  24. Inorganic compound Historically, chemicals that could not be derived from living processes. In modern usage, chemicals that do not contain carbon, although carbonates and a…
  25. inositol (ih-NAH-sih-TOL) A type of sugar that has a different chemical structure than glucose (the chief source of energy for living organisms).
  26. Inositol lipid A membrane-anchored phospholipid that transduces hormonal signals by stimulating the release of any of several chemical messengers. (See Phospholipid.)
  27. insecticide A substance that kills insects.
  28. insert 1. To incorporate a DNA molecule into a cloning vector; also used as a noun to describe such a DNA molecule. 2.
  29. insertion element Generic term for DNA sequences found in bacteria capable of genome insertion. Postulated to be responsible for site-specific phage and plasmid integration.
  30. insertion mutation Changes in the base sequence of a DNA molecule resulting from the random integration of DNA from another source. See: mutation.
  31. Insertion mutations Changes in the base sequence of a DNA molecule resulting from the random integration of DNA from another source. See DNA, Mutation.
  32. insertion sequence See: insertion element.
  33. insertion site 1. A unique restriction site in a molecule into which foreign DNA can readily be inserted.
  34. Instability A lack of consistent phenotype, usually as a result of uncontrolled genetic changes.
  35. insulin (IN-su-lin) A hormone made by the islet cells of the pancreas. Insulin controls the amount of sugar in the blood by moving it into the cells, where it can…
  36. integrating vector A vector that is designed to integrate cloned DNA into the host's chromosomal DNA.
  37. Integration The recombination process which inserts a small DNA molecule (usually by homologous recombination) into a larger one.
  38. integration-excision region (Abbreviation: I/E). The portion of bacteriophage lambda (ë) DNA that enables ë-DNA to be inserted into a specific site in the E.
  39. integument One of the layers that enclosed the ovule, and is the precursor of the seed coat.
  40. intellectual property rights (Abbreviation: IPR). The legal framework, which includes patenting and plant variety protection, by which inventors control the commercial application of…
  41. intensifying screen A plastic sheet impregnated with a rare-earth compound, such as calcium tungstate, which reacts to radiation by emitting light.
  42. inter-simple sequence repeat (Abbreviation: ISSR). A PCR -based molecular marker assay of genomic sequence lying between adjacent microsatellites .
  43. intercalary 1. Meristematic tissue or growth not restricted to the apex of an organ, i.e. growth at nodes. 2. Referring to internal segments of a chromosomes (i.e.
  44. intercalary growth A pattern of stem elongation typical of grasses. Elongation proceeds from the lower internodes to the upper internodes through the differentiation of…
  45. intercalating agent A chemical capable of inserting between adjacent base pairs in a double-stranded nucleic acid. A prominent example is ethidium bromide.
  46. intercellular space The pore space between cells, especially typical of leaf tissues.
  47. interfascicular cambium Cambium that arises between vascular bundles.
  48. interference a proceeding, conducted before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (Board), to determine priority of invention between a pending application and…
  49. interferon (in-ter-FEER-on) A biological response modifier (a substance that can improve the body's natural response to infections and other diseases).
  50. intergeneric cross A hybrid made between parents belonging to two different genera.
  51. Intergenic regions DNA sequences located between genes that comprise a large percentage of the human genome with no known function.
  52. intergenic spacer (Abbreviation: IGS). Non-coding DNA separating tandemly arranged copies of a repeated gene sequence (typically ribosomal DNA ).
  53. interleukin (in-ter-LOO-kin) One of a group of related proteins made by leukocytes (white blood cells) and other cells in the body.
  54. internal guide sequence (Abbreviation: IGS). See: guide sequence.
  55. internal transcribed spacer (Abbreviation: ITS). Non-coding regions separating the individual components of the ribosomal DNA units.
  56. International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture The international treaty resulting from the revision of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources was adopted by the 2001 FAO Conference as…
  57. International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources The first comprehensive voluntary, international agreement (adopted in 1983) dealing with plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
  58. internode The region of a stem between two successive nodes.
  59. Interphase The stage in the cell cycle when the cell is not dividing and during part of which DNA replication occurs; it follows telophase of one mitotic division…
  60. intersex Synonym of hermaphrodite.
  61. interspecific cross A hybrid made between parents belonging to two different species. See: intrageneric cross, intraspecific cross.
  62. intervening sequence See: intron.
  63. intracellular (IN-truh-SEL-yoo-ler) Inside a cell.
  64. intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Abbreviation: ICSI). The micro-injection of a single sperm into the cytoplasm of a mature oocyte.
  65. intrageneric Within a genus, such as an intrageneric cross, or intrageneric variation.
  66. intrageneric cross A hybrid made between parents belonging to two species in the same genus. See: intraspecific cross, interspecific cross.
  67. intragenic complementation Occurs when wild type phenotype is restored in an F1 individual made by crossing two independent mutants, carrying different heteroalleles.
  68. intraspecific Within a species, such as an intraspecific cross, or intraspecific variation.
  69. intraspecific cross A hybrid made between parents belonging to the same species. See: intrageneric cross, interspecific cross.
  70. Introgression Backcrossing of hybrids of two plant populations to introduce new genes into a wild population.
  71. Intron A noncoding DNA sequence within a gene that is initially transcribed into messenger RNA but is later snipped out.
  72. Invasiveness Ability of a plant to spread beyond its introduction site and become established in new locations where it may provide a deliterious effect on organisms…
  73. Inversion A chromosome re-arrangement, which involves the re-orientation of a segment so that the order of a linear array of genes within it is reversed.
  74. inverted repeat Two sequences of nucleotides occurring in one strand, where, relative to the first sequence, the second has complementary bases but in the inverted order.
  75. Ion An atom or molecule that has lost or gained one or more electrons and has become electrically charged as a result.
  76. ion channel A protein integral to a cell membrane, through which selective ion transport occurs.
  77. IPR Intellectual Property Rights
  78. IPTG Abbreviation for isopropyl-3-D-thiogalactopyranoside. A synthetic inducer of beta-galactosidase activity in many bacteria.
  79. irradiation (ih-RAY-dee-AY-shun) The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
  80. IS element Abbreviation for insertion sequence element. A short (800-1400 nucleotide pairs) found in bacteria that is capable of transposing to a new genomic…
  81. iso-electric focusing gel (Abbreviation: IEF gel). A variant of gel electrophoresis, in which macromolecules (usually protein s) are separated on the basis of differing…
  82. iso-osmotic See: isotonic.
  83. isoallele Multiple similar copies of a gene, usually located at independent positions in the genome, which encode similar gene products and produce the same, or a…
  84. isochromosome A chromosome produced following an error in meiosis, in which the two arms are mirror images of each other.
  85. isodiametric Commonly used to describe cells with equal diameters.
  86. Isoenzyme See: isozyme.
  87. isoform 1. A tissue-specific form of a protein. 2. Synonym of isoenzyme.
  88. isogamy Fusion of gametes of similar size and structure.
  89. isogenic A group of individuals that possesses the same genotype, irrespective of their being homozygous or heterozygous.
  90. isogenic stock Strains of organisms that are genetically nearly identical, except with respect to identified genes.
  91. isolating mechanism The properties of an organism that prevent interbreeding (and therefore exchange of genetic material) between members of different species that inhabit…
  92. isolation medium An optimum plant tissue culture medium suitable for explant survival, growth and development.
  93. isomer One of two or more compounds that have the same chemical formula but different arrangements of the atoms within the molecules and that may have different…
  94. isomerase Any of a class of enzymes that catalyse the re-arrangement of the atoms within a molecule, thereby converting one isomer into another.
  95. isotonic Solutions with the same osmotic potential, as a result of being of the same molar concentration.
  96. isotope (I-soh-tope) A form of a chemical element in which the atoms have the same number of protons (part of the nucleus of an atom) but with a different number…
  97. isozyme A genetic variant of an enzyme. Isozymes for a given enzyme share the same function, but may differ in level of activity, as a result of minor differences…
  98. ISSR Abbreviation for inter-simple sequence repeat.
  99. ITS Abbreviation for internal transcribed spacer.
  100. IVEP Abbreviation for in vitro embryo production.

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