Category: C

The external protein coat of a virus particle that surrounds the nucleic acid. The individual proteins that make up the capsid are called capsomers or protein subunits. It has been discovered that resistance to certain viral diseases may be imparted to some plants by inserting the gene for production of the protein coat into the…

also known as CRP, catabolite regulator protein (or cyclic AMP receptor protein). The protein mediates the action of cyclic AMP (cAMP) on transcription in that cAMP and CAP must first combine. The cAMP-CAP complex then binds to the promoter regions of Escherichia coli and stimulates transcription of its operon. Since a cell component increases rather…

An application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval of a drug that has undergone Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials. A CANDA is submitted in the form of computer-readable (e.g., clinical) data that provides the FDA with a sophisticated database that allows the FDA reviewers to evaluate (e.g., statistically) the…

An uncommon amino acid. It is used in biology as an arginine (another amino acid) analogue. It is a potent growth inhibitor of many organisms. An amino acid produced by some leguminous plants, such as the jack bean. It is used primarily for feeding stock. It is structurally related to L-arginine. It prevents the growth…

(Means “beautiful buttocks” in the Greek language) An inherited trait in livestock (e.g., sheep) that results in thicker, meatier hindquarters. First identified as a genetic trait in 1983, this desirable trait results in a higher meat yield per animal.  

A crystalline salt that is normally deposited in the cells of many plants. In many animals, calcium oxalate is excreted in the urine, or retained by the animal’s body in the form of urinary calculi. A calcium-containing compound present in urine in crystalline form. It is a constituent of some kidney stones.  

Drugs (e.g., verapamil or nifedipine) that are used to slow down calcium movement through cell membranes. This leads to dilation of the blood vessels and reduces the heart’s workload. Blood vessels need calcium to contract (causing flow constriction and hence an increase in blood pressure), so the drug-induced shortage of available calcium causes the body’s…

A class of adhesion molecules that function as cellular adhesion receptors. One of several cellular adhesion molecules, i.e., molecules that hold cells together. In cancer cells, mutations in cadherins keep cells from sticking together normally. As a result, malignant cells grow irregularly, invade other tissues, and metastasize to distant locations.  

Also known as copy DNA. A helical form of DNA. It occurs when DNA fibers are maintained in 66 percent relative humidity in the presence of lithium ions. It has fewer base pairs per turn than B-DNA.  

The total amount of DNA in a haploid genome.