Category: R

A method used to guess at (determine) the three-dimensional structure of a receptor binding site extrapolating from the known structure of the molecule binding to it. This approach can be carried out because of the complementary shape of the receptor and the binding molecule. Functionally, the researcher projects the (guessed-at) properties of the receptor ligands…

A research method used to determine the macromolecular structure that a chemical compound (e.g., an inhibitor) must have in order to fit (in a lock-and-key fashion) into a receptor. For example, a pain inhibitor compound blocking a pain receptor on the surface of a cell.  

The product of the RecA locus (in a gene of) Escherichia coli. It is a protein with dual activities, acting as a protease and also able to exchange single strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules. The protease activity controls the SOS response. The nucleic acid handling facility (i.e., ability to exchange single strands of DNA)…

The pairing of complementary single strands (of the molecule) to form a double helix (structure).  

The particular nucleotide sequence that starts at a specific point and is then partitioned into codons. The reading frame may be shifted by removing or adding a nucleotide(s). This would cause a new sequence of codons to be read. For example, the sequence CATGGT is normally read as the two codons: CAT and GGT. If…

The engineering (building) of chemically synthesized drugs based on knowledge of receptor modeling and drug/target interaction with the aid of supercomputers/interactive graphics/etc); the educated, creative design of the three-dimensional structure of a drug atom by atom, that is, “from the ground up.” This approach represents a major advance over the prior practice of first synthesizing…

A transmembrane (i.e., through the cell membrane) protein that is coded for by the ras gene. The ras protein end that is outside the cell membrane acts as a receptor for applicable growth factors (e.g., fibroblast growth factor), and conveys that signal (i.e., to divide/grow) into the cell when that chemical signal (i.e., the growth…

An oncogene that is believed to be responsible for up to 90% of all human pancreatic cancer, 50% of human colon cancers, 40% of lung cancers, and 30% of leukemias. The ras gene is present in the DNA of all human tissues, and codes for ras proteins, which help to signal each cell to divide…

A broad term used to describe the various testing products/technologies that can be utilized to quickly detect the presence of microorganisms (e.g., pathogenic bacteria in a food processing plant). These testing products are based on immunoassay, DNA probe, electrical conductance and/or impedance, bioluminescence, and enzyme-induced reactions (e.g., which produce fluorescence or a color change to…

A genetic mapping methodology that utilizes as its basis the fact that specific DNA sequences (polymorphic DNA) are “repeated” (i.e., appear in sequence) with gene of interest. Thus, the polymorphic DNA sequences are linked to that specific gene. Their linked presence serves to facilitate genetic mapping (i.e., “location” of specific gene(s) on an organism’s genome).…