Adenine

A component of nucleic acids, energy-carrying molecules such as ATP, and certain co-enzymes. Chemically, it is a purine base.

Hydropholic

Having an affinity for water.

Amino

A functional group that consists of a nitrogen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms.

Mutation

A rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.

Intron

A non-coding, intervening sequence within a eukaryotic gene.

Supernatant

The liquid on top of material deposited by settling or centrifugation.

Translation

The synthesis of a polypeptide using the genetic information encoded in an mRNA molecule. There is a change of language from nucleotides to amino acids.

Carboxyl

A functional group present in organic acids and consisting of a single carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and also bonded to a hydroxyl group.

Gene

A discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA.

Dominant

A genetic trait expressed in a person who has only one copy of the gene associate with the trait.

Transcription

The synthesis of RNA on a DNA template.

Karyotype

A display of the chromosome pairs of a cell arranged by size and shape.

Hydrophobic

Having an aversion to water; tending to coalesce and form droplets of water.

Histone

A small protein with a high proportion of highly positively charged DNA and plays a key role in its chromatin structure.

Transfer

An RNA molecule that functions as an interpreter between nucleic acid and protein language by picking up specific amino acids and recognizing the appropriate codons in the mRNA.

Cytosine

A component of nucleic acids that carries hereditary information in DNA and RNA in cells. Chemically, it is a pyrimidine base.

Exon

A coding region of a eukaryotic gene.

Nucleotide

The building block of a nucleic acid, consisting of a five-carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.

Model

A simplified version of something complex used, for example, to analyze and solve problems or make predictions.

Polymerize

To undergo a chemical reaction in which two or more small molecules combine to form larger molecules that contain repeating structural units of the original molecules.

Lysis

A process of disintegration or dissolution

(as of cells).

Thymine

A component of nucleic acid that carries hereditary information in DNA in cells. Chemically, it is a pyrimidine base.