Birgid Schlindwein's
Hypermedia Glossary Of Genetic Terms
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Birgid Schlindwein'sHypermedia Glossary Of Genetic TermsSearch Results |
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| Retrotransposon | Special transposon whose sequence is transcribed to RNA in the cell. After generation of the RNA strand a reverse transcriptase produced by the retrotransposon reconverts the RNA to DNA. This sequence is integrated into the original DNA strand at any position. |
| Transposon (Tn) | DNA elements carrying genes for transposition and other genetic functions. The former genes enable those elements to move from one site on a chromosome to another. In many cases the latter genes enable bacteria to live in extreme environments. Transposons are much longer than IS elements. Some resemble, and may originate from, retroviruses.
Also called transposable element or 'jumping gene'. |
| DNA sequence | The relative order of base pairs, whether in a fragment of DNA, a gene, a chromosome, or an entire genome. See base sequence. |
| Transcription | The synthesis of an RNA copy from a sequence of DNA (a gene); the first step in gene expression. Compare translation. |
| Ribonucleic acid (RNA) | A chemical found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells; it plays an important role in protein synthesis and other chemical activities of the cell. The structure of RNA is similar to that of DNA. There are several classes of RNA molecules, including messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomal RNA, and other small RNAs, each serving a different purpose. |
| Strand | It is customary in genetics to use strand for chromatid. It has therefore been used in that sense in some books, where it has also been used for one double-chain (that is, duplex) DNA molecule. Chain, but not strand, has been used for a single polynucleotide. |
| Reverse transcriptase | An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA from an RNA template. |
| Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) | The molecule that encodes genetic information. DNA is a double-stranded molecule held together by weak bonds between base pairs of nucleotides. The four nucleotides in DNA contain the bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). In nature, base pairs form only between A and T and between G and C; thus the base sequence of each single strand can be deduced from that of its partner. |