Glossary Term
Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) mends DNA regions that contain chemical adducts, such as UV-induced thymine dimers or carcinogenic adducts, which distort the DNA helix and interfere with replication and transcription. NER is targeted to actively transcribed regions of the genome. During NER in eukaryotes, shape irregularities are detected by protein complexes that slide along the DNA molecule and induce cuts on each side of a lesion several nucleotides away. Removal of the damaged 25-30 nucleotide fragment is followed by repair synthesis and ligation.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A DNA polymer made up of a small number of nucleotides.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
Short DNA oligonucleotide chains used to prime DNA (and in some cases RNA) synthesis.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A small-scale mutation in which a single nucleotide is exchanged for another. Mutagenic chemicals and mistakes in DNA replication may result in point mutations.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
General term for a piece of DNA or RNA corresponding to a gene or sequence of interest, that has been labelled either radioactively or with some other detectable molecule, such as biotin, digoxygenin or fluorescein. As stretches of DNA or RNA with complementary sequences will hybridize, a probe will label viral plaques, bacterial colonies or bands on a gel that contain the gene of interest.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A DNA sequence at which RNA polymerase binds and initiates transcription.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
Nonfunctional DNA sequences that are very similar to the sequences of known genes. Many seem to have arisen as functional gene duplications that subsequently underwent mutation and loss of function. Others are structurally similar to mRNA and seem to have arisen by a reverse transcription event followed by integration into the genome. Some pseudogenes are transcribed and may play a role in regulation of its homologous gene.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
Enzymes that exhibit endonuclease activity at a specific short nucleotide sequence to cleave strands of DNA.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A sequence in DNA that can be recognized by a specific restriction enzyme.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
An RNA-dependent DNA polymerase that is involved in the replication of retroviruses an in the maintenance of telomeres.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A two-step setup in which RNA is first copied into complementary DNA by a reverse transcriptase and then amplified by PCR. Used for RNA viruses such as influenza, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and HCV. In procurement documents, confirm whether "RT-PCR" refers to real-time (quantitative) or endpoint (qualitative) reading.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
The action of copying RNA into DNA by reverse transcriptase.
Pcr Terms
