Glossary Term
A volatile liquid prepared by fermentation of certain carbohydrates. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, a diuretic, and a disinfectant. Although the exact mechanism of CNS depression is unknown, alcohol may act by inhibiting the opening of calcium channels, mediated by the binding of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) to GABA-A receptors, or through inhibitory actions at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors. Alcohol inhibits the production of antidiuretic hormone, thereby producing diuresis that may lead to dehydration. This agent kills organisms by denaturing their proteins.
Extraction Methodology
Glossary Term
A specific sequence of three adjacent bases on a strand of DNA or RNA that provides genetic code information for a particular amino acid.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A sequence pattern derived from the alignment of multiple sequences that represents the nucleotide or amino acid most likely to occur at each position in a sequence.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A class of RNA molecule containing protein-coding information in its nucleotide sequence that can be translated into the amino acid sequence of a protein.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A point mutation occurring within the protein-coding region of a gene, and which codes for a different amino acid than expected.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
The global analysis of cellular proteins. Proteomics uses a combination of sophisticated techniques including two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, image analysis, mass spectrometry, amino acid sequencing, and bio-informatics to resolve comprehensively, to quantify, and to characterize proteins. The application of proteomics provides major opportunities to elucidate disease mechanisms and to identify new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A point mutation occurring within the protein-coding region of a gene, and which codes for the same amino acid as expected.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
Any mutation that occurs within the discrete sequences comprising the 5' or 3' splice sites of a gene that has a spliced message. Splice-site mutation may result in a deletion or insertion of extraneous amino acids in the gene product or a change in the reading frame of the spliced message.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
A class of short adaptor RNAs that transfers a specific amino acid to a growing polypeptide chain at the ribosomal site of protein synthesis during translation. Each transfer RNA comprises a three-nucleotide sequence that is complementary to the triplet nucleotide coding sequence of an mRNA, conferring specificity to the amino acid being incorporated into the assembling protein.
Pcr Terms
Glossary Term
Ubiquitin is a family of widely distributed proteins found in all eukaryotes that contain a highly conserved sequence of 76 amino acids identical in organisms from humans to insects. It participates in diverse cellular functions by conjugation to other proteins through its carboxy terminus. Ubiquitination is associated with many highly regulated biological events including protein degradation, chromatin remodelling, heat shock, cell cycle progression, differentiation, antigen presentation, retrovirus assembly, apoptosis, signal transduction, transcriptional activation, biological clocks, receptor down regulation, and endocytosis. Protein ubiquitination regulates the half-lives of many proteins by targeting them for degradation. Newly discovered families of ubiquitination and deubiquitination enzymes participate in these processes. Ubiquitination enzymes may provide new therapeutic targets and ways of intervention in many human diseases.
Pcr Terms
