Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
HRR: homolog recognition region
Integration: extraneous DNA that inserts into a chromosome
Inversion: a region of DNA that is ''inverted'', that is, turned end for end
Isolate: single individual used to establish a strain
Lab designations: Two letter registered descriptor of each C. elegans lab, available at WormBase
Lethal: a mutation that cannot be propagated as a homozygote over successive generations
Linkage: on the same DNA molecule
Male sperm: sperm from male C. elegans as opposed to hermaphroditic sperm
Maternal Effect Lethal: an adult that produces infertile progeny
Mutation: a rare alteration in the DNA sequence
Mutagen: chemical or physical source that causes changes in the DNA sequence
Mutagen dosage: amount of mutagen applied and duration of exposure
Morphological Marker: a phenotype that alters the body structure in a visible way
Nonconditional: phenotype is independent of external conditions
Nondisjunction: failure of two homologs to separate two different cells during meiosis
Ortholog: shared DNA sequence identity or similarity between species
Out-cross: fertilization of hermaphrodite oocytes by male sperm
Paralog: shared DNA sequence identity or similarity within a species
PCR: polymerized chain reaction
Phenotype: recognizable feature of the animal resulting from its genetic composition
Physical map: map based on the DNA sequence
Primers: DNA oligos used to start the PCR amplification process
Punnet Square: representation of haploid gametic forms and the resulting diploid progeny
Promoter: binding site for DNA polymerase and accessory proteins
Promoter::GFP: promoter sequence linked to a green fluorescence protein reporter
Radiation: physical mutagen in the form of energy causing changes in the DNA, for example,
gamma, X-ray, UV
Rearrangement: a reorganization of the genetic material
Reciprocal translocation: rearrangements of two chromosomes such that no genetic material is lost
Recombination: biological reorganization of homologous chromosomes
Rescue: return to wild-type phenotype
RNAi: interference of gene expression by double-stranded RNA
Screening: process of identifying mutant phenotypes
Self-fertilization: fertilization, in a hermaphrodite, of oocytes by its own sperm
Semidominant: phenotype recognizable as a heterozygote
SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism (between two populations)
Snip-SNP: single nucleotide difference resulting in alteration of a restriction digest cut site
Spontaneous mutation: alteration of the DNA sequence in the absence of a known mutagen
Stability: frequency with which a genotype alters
Strain construction: crosses to bring together genotypes to be maintained as a heritable strain
Sterile Adult: an adult that does not produce fertilized oocytes
Synapsis: formation of the synaptonemal complex during meiotic prophase
Suppressor: lessening of the mutant phenotype
Telomere: specialized sequence at the end of a linear chromosome
Terminal deletion: deletion of DNA-removing sequences adjacent to the telomere
Transgenic array: introduced concatenated DNA that is transmitted heritably
Transposon: region of DNA capable of movement from one site to another
Trans-heterozygote: mutations on each of the homologs
Translocation: rearrangement of DNA from one region of the genome to another
Transgenes: introduced DNA transferred from outside the animal
Wild type: accepted nonmutant form of the animal or a gene
WormBase: database of information about C. elegans, www.wormbase.org
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