Glossary for NanoBiotechnology
amide:
Molecule containing a carbonyl group linked to an amine. Adjacent
amino acids in a protein molecule are linked by amide groups.
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amino acid:
Organic molecule containing both an amino group and a carboxyl
group. Those that serve as the building blocks of proteins are
alpha amino acids, having both the amino and carboxyl groups linked
to the same carbon atom.
amino acyl tRNA:
Activated form of amino acid used in protein synthesis. Consists
of an amino acid linked through a labile ester bond from its carboxyl
group to a hydroxyl group on tRNA.
amino group:
Weakly basic functional group derived from ammonia (NH3)
in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by another atom.
In aqueous solution it can accept a proton and carry a positive
charge.
amino terminus (N terminus):
The end of a polypeptide chain that carries a free a-amino
group.
amoeba (plural amoebae):
(1) Free-living single-celled eucaryote that crawls by changing
its shape.
(2) More narrowly, a particular gen of protozoa that move in this
way.
amoeba proteus:
Species of giant freshwater amoeba widely used in studies of cell
locomotion.
amoeboid locomotion:
Distinctive form of cell crawling typified by Amoeba proteus.
Associated with the extension of pseudopodia and with cytoplasmic
streaming.
AMP (adenosine 5'-monophosphate):
One of the four nucleotides in an RNA molecule. Two phosphates
are added to AMP to form ATP.
amphipathic:
Having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, as in a phospholipid
or a detergent molecule.
anabolism:
System of biosynthetic reactions in a cell by which large molecules
are made from smaller ones.
anaerobic:
Describes a cell, organism, or metabolic process that functions
in the absence of air or, more precisely, in the absence of molecular
oxygen.
anaphase:
Stage of mitosis during which the two sets of chromosomes separate
and move away from each other. Composed of anaphase A (chromosomes
move toward the two spindle poles) and anaphase B (spindle poles
move apart).
Ångstrom (Å):
Unit of length used to measure atoms and molecules. Equal to 1E-10
meter or 0.1 nanometer (nm).
animal pole:
In yolky eggs, that end free of yolk and which cleaves more rapidly
than the vegetal pole.
anterior:
Situated toward the head end of the body.
antibiotic:
Substance such as penicillin or streptomycin that is toxic to
microorganisms. Usually a product of a specific microorganism
or plant.
antibody (immunoglobulin):
Protein produced by B lymphocytes in response to a foreign molecule
or invading organism. Often binds to the foreign molecule or cell
extremely tightly, thereby inactivating it or marking it for destruction
by phagocytosis, or complement-induced lysis.
anticodon:
Sequence of three nucleotides in a transfer RNA molecule that
is complementary to the three-nucleotide codon on a messenger
RNA molecule; the anticodon is matched to a specific
antigen:
Molecule that provokes an immune response.
 antigenic
determinant (epitope):
Specific region of an antigenic molecule that binds to an antibody
or a T cell receptor.
antiport:
Membrane carrier protein that transports two different ions or
small molecules across a membrane in opposite directions, either
simultaneously or in sequence.
antisense RNA:
RNA complementary to a specific RNA transcript of a gene that
can hybridize to the specific RNA and block its function. |
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Parts of the glossary are from the following book:
Copyright 1983, 1989, 1994 From "Molecular Biology of the Cell" by
Bruce Alberts, Dennis Bray, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts,
James D. Watson. Reproduced by permission of Routledge, Inc., part of
The Taylor & Francis Group.
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