CIBI 3031 Terms to Know Instructor: Kristin Peterson

Chapters 14 and 16: Glossary of selected key terms (términos clave selectos)

CHAPTER 14

alkylating agent / agente alquilante

Any substance that transfers methyl or ethyl groups to a compound.

anticodon / anticodón

Series of three nucleotide bases in tRNA; can base-pair with an mRNA codon.

base sequence / secuencia de bases

Sequential order of bases in a DNA or RNA strand.

base-pair substitution / sustitución de un par de bases

One amino acid has replaced another during protein synthesis.

carcinogen / carcinógeno

Any substance or agent that can trigger cancer.

codon / codón

One of 64 possible base triplets in an mRNA strand. A code word for an amino acid in a polypeptide chain; a few codons also act as START or STOP signals for translation.

deletion / deleción (supresión de una base)

At cytological level, loss of a segment from a chromosome. At molecular level, loss of one to a few base pairs from a DNA molecule.

exon / exón

One of the base sequences of an mRNA transcript that will become translated.

gene mutation / mutación genética

A small-scale change in the nucleotide sequence of a DNA molecule.

genetic code / código genético

The correspondence between nucleotide triplets in DNA (then mRNA) and specific sequences of amino acids in a polypeptide chain; the basic language of protein synthesis in cells.

insertion / inserción (de una base)

Insertion of one to a few bases into a DNA strand. Also, a movable attachment of muscle to bone.

intron / intrón

A noncoding portion of a pre-mRNA transcript; excised before translation.

ionizing radiation / radiaciones ionizantes

High-energy wavelengths.

mRNA (messenger RNA) / ARNm (ARN mensajero)

A single strand of ribonucleotides transcribed from DNA, then translated into a polypeptide chain. The only RNA encoding protein-building instructions.

mutation rate / índice de mutación

Of a gene locus, the probability that a spontaneous mutation will occur during or between DNA replication cycles.

nonionizing radiation / radiaciones no ionizantes

Wavelengths that boost electrons to a higher energy level. DNA easily absorbs one form, ultraviolet light.

promoter / promotor

Short stretch of DNA to which RNA polymerase can bind and start transcription.

ribonucleic acid (RNA) / ácido ribonuceico (ARN)

Any of a class of single-stranded nucleic acids that function in transcribing and translating the genetic instructions encoded in DNA into proteins.

RNA polymerase / ARN polimerasa

Enzyme that catalyzes the assembly of RNA strands on DNA templates.

rRNA (ribosomal RNA) / ARNr (ARN ribosomal)

Type of RNA that combines with proteins to form ribosomes, on which polypeptide chains are assembled.

transcription / transcripción

First stage of protein synthesis. An RNA strand is assembled on exposed bases of an unwound strand of a DNA double helix. The transcript has a complementary base sequence.

translation / traducción

Stage of protein synthesis when an mRNA's base sequence becomes converted to the amino acid sequence of a new polypeptide chain by rRNA, tRNA, and mRNA interactions.

transposon / transposón

DNA segment that can randomly move to different locations in a genome; may inactivate genes into which it inserts itself and causes changes in phenotype.

tRNA (transfer RNA) / ARNt (ARN de transferencia)

An RNA that binds with and delivers amino acids to a ribosome and that pairs with an mRNA codon during the translation stage of protein synthesis.

uracil / uracilo

Nitrogen-containing base of a nucleotide in RNA but not DNA. Like thymine, uracil can base-pair with adenine.

CHAPTER 16

automated DNA sequencing / secuenciador automático de ADN

Fast method of sequencing cloned or PCR-amplified DNA.

cDNA / ADNc

DNA molecule copied from a mature mRNA transcript by reverse transcription.

cloning vector / vector de clonación

Any plasmid, viral DNA, or some other piece of DNA that researchers use to isolate and amplify DNA of interest.

DNA clone / clon de ADN

Many identical copies of DNA that was inserted into plasmids and later amplified.

DNA fingerprint / huella digital de ADN

DNA fragments inherited in a Mendelian pattern that give each individual a unique identity.

DNA ligase / ADN ligasa

Enzyme that seals new base-pairings during DNA replication.

DNA microarray / microarreglo de ADN

Gene chip stamped with thousands of DNA sequences from a genome.

gel electrophoresis / electroforesis en gel

Laboratory technique used to distinguish among molecules. Applied electric field forces them to migrate through a viscous gel and distance themselves from one another by length, size, or electric charge.

gene library / biblioteca genética

Mixed collection of bacteria that house many different cloned DNA fragments.

gene therapy / terapia génica

Generally, a transfer of one or more normal genes into an organism to correct or lessen adverse effects of a genetic disorder.

genetic engineering / ingeniería genética

Deliberately altering the information content of DNA molecules.

genome / genoma

All the DNA in a haploid number of chromosomes for a given species.

genomics / genómica

Study of the genome of humans and other organisms.

nucleic acid hybridization / hibridación de ácido nucleico

Any base-pairing between DNA or RNA from different sources.

PCR / (reacción en cadena de polimerasa)

A method of enormously amplifying the quantity of DNA fragments cut by restriction enzymes.

plasmid / plásmido

A small, circular molecule of extra bacterial DNA that carries a few genes and is replicated independently of the chromosome.

primer / cebador

Short nucleotide sequence designed to base-pair with any complementary DNA sequence; acts as a START tag for replication.

probe / sonda (de ácido nucleico)

Very short stretch of DNA labeled with a radioisotope; it is designed to base-pair with part of a gene in a DNA sample being studied.

recombinant DNA technology / tecnología del AND recombinante

Procedures by which DNA molecules from different species are isolated, cut up, spliced together, and then enormously amplified to useful quantities.

restriction enzyme / enzima de restricción

One of a class of bacterial enzymes that can cut apart foreign DNA that infects a cell, as by viral attack. Important tool of recombinant DNA technology.

reverse transcriptase / transcriptasa reversa

An enzyme from RNA viruses that catalyzes transcription in reverse; assembles a complementary DNA strand on an mRNA transcript.

seed bank / banco de semillas

A safe storage facility where genes of diverse plant lineages are being preserved.

tandem repeats / repeticiones en tándem

One of many short sequences of DNA, occurring one after the other, in a chromosome. Used in DNA fingerprinting.

xenotransplantation / xenotrasplantes (xenoinjertos)

The transfer of an organ from one species to another.