Category: M

Term used for an officially established upper allowable limit, of a given compound (e.g., a synthetic hormone) in a particular product, such as meat. For example, in 1994, the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Rome, Italy decided to establish maximum residue levels for each of five growth promotants that are commonly utilized by the U.S. beef…

An analytical device that can be used to determine the molecular weights of proteins and nucleic acids, the sequence of (composition and order of amino acids comprising) protein molecules, the chemical composition of virtually any material, and the rapid identification of intact gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms (the latter, using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of…

The utilization of DNA sequence “markers” by commercial breeders to select the organisms (e.g., crops, livestock, etc.) which possess gene(s) for a particular performance trait (e.g., rapid growth, high yield, etc.) desired; for subsequent breeding/propagation.  

A trait that can be observed to occur or not to occur in an organism such as, for example, bacteria or plant(s). Genetic markers include such traits as: expression of luciferase in leaf cells (causing leaves to glow), resistance to specific antibiotics, the nature of the cell wall and capsule characteristics, requirements for a particular…

A specific sequence of DNA that is virtually always associated with a specified trait, because of “linkage” between that DNA sequence (the “marker”) and the gene(s) that cause that particular trait.  

A DNA fragment of known size used to calibrate an electrophoretic gel.  

A number proportional to the frequency of recombination between two genes. One map unit corresponds to a recombination frequency of 1 percent.  

A family of oligosaccharides that can be produced by man in commercial quantities via certain yeast cells. When consumed (e.g., by livestock), mannose sugars in the MOS stimulate the liver to secrete the mannose-binding protein. Mannose binding protein enters the digestive system and binds to the (mannosecontaining) capsule (surface membrane) of pathogenic bacteria. That binding…

Technology to artificially cultivate cells, of mammal origin, in a laboratory or production-scale device (i.e., in vitro). Can be either a batch or continuous process device. The first mammalian cell culture was performed by a neurobiologist named R. G. Harrison in 1907, when he added chopped-up spinal cord tissue to clotted (blood) plasma in a…

A gene in com (maize) that (when present in the DNA of a given plant) causes that plant to produce seed that contains higher-than-normal levels of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and manganese. These higher mineral levels are particularly useful for feeding of swine, since traditional No. 2 yellow (dent) com does not contain enough for…