Molecular biology

Molecular biology

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Molecular biology

Hook region

Biology; Biochemistry

A normally protected but reactive sequence of the α 2 -macroglobulin molecule, which is a scavenger for many proteinases in the blood. A proteinase can cleave a peptide bond in the protein's bait ...

Loop

Biology; Biochemistry

A packing structure of eukaryotic DNA that may be identical to a replicon. It is seen when the DNA is unfolded and visualised by electron microscopy, and shows the polynucleotide extending from ...

The N-terminal portion of a secretory or membrane protein that assists it across the membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, where it is synthesized, but is cleaved from the protein even before ...

Sulphur cycle

Biology; Biochemistry

The passage of sulphur from organic to inorganic forms, from substituents of cells to minerals, via the following steps: (1) uptake of sulphate from soil by organisms and conversion into organic ...

Transposon tagging

Biology; Biochemistry

The use of a transposon to isolate a gene whose product may be unknown. Mutants in which a transposon inserts into and disrupts the function of a gene are selected by phenotype. A DNA fragment that ...

Cotton effect

Biology; Biochemistry

A feature of some optical rotatory dispersion spectra that is usefully correlated with conformational and structural features of a molecule. A sharp peak in optical rotation followed by a deep trough ...

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA)

Biology; Biochemistry

A method to identify by function a band on a polyacrylamide gel. Electrophoresis is performed on a mixture of proteins before and after treatment with a strong ligand that is specific to one ...