DNA and DNA Extraction Glossary

A chemical compound that accepts a proton.

A pair of nucleotide bases in the double stranded DNA double helix structure. Base pairs form the 'rungs' on the DNA ladder. A single base pair is made when Adenine from one DNA single strand binds with Thymine in the other strand or when Guanine from one strand binds with Cytosine in the other.

A genetic structure in a cell composed of condensed DNA, which contains the genetic code for an organism.

Region of the DNA sequence between the promoter and the termination sequence. It contains the instructions about how to make a specific protein.

(deoxyribonucleic acid) The molecule that encodes genetic information. DNA is a double-stranded molecule held together by weak bonds between base pairs of nucleotides. It is the fundamental substance of which genes are composed.

The spiral shape that two linear strands of DNA assume when bonded together.

Mature male or female reproductive cells (sperm or ovum) containing half of the total number of chromosomes in a cell (i.e., humans have 46 chromosomes per cell; gametes would have 23).

The fundamental unit of heredity that carries genetic information from one generation to the next. A gene is an ordered sequence of nucleotides located on a particular position on a particular chromosome that encodes a specific functional protein.

The fundamental unit of heredity that carries genetic information from one generation to the next. A gene is an ordered sequence of nucleotides located on a particular position on a particular chromosome that encodes a specific functional protein.

The process of adding foreign DNA to the genome of an organism.

All the genetic material in the haploid set of chromosomes for a particular organism.

A subunit of DNA or RNA consisting of a nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, thymine, or cytosine in DNA; adenine, guanine, uracil, or cytosine in RNA), a phosphate molecule, and a sugar molecule. Thousands of nucleotides are linked together to form a DNA strand.

The part of the plant or animal cell that contains the chromosomes.

A specific DNA sequence to which RNA polymerase binds and initiates transcription. This region contains information which regulates when and how often the gene is transcribed and ultimately the amount of protein it produces.

A large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order. Proteins are necessary for the structure, function, and regulation of an organism's cells, tissues, and organs. Each protein has a unique function determined by its shape.

The copying of a DNA molecule.

The sequence of DNA which signals the transcription to stop.

The characteristic that results from an expressing gene(s). Ex. Upright leaves, drought tolerance, Bt resistance. A trait can be influenced by the environment.