Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A covalent bond (linkage) between the ct-amino group of one amino acid and the a-carboxyl group of another amino acid. This is the linkage or bond which holds the amino acids (chain links) together in a polypeptide chain. It is the all-important bond which holds the amino acid monomers together to form the polymer known…

Refers to the genus of fungi (mold) that belongs to the category Deuteromycotina, and often causes (food) spoilage. Some of this genus have been utilized commercially to produce antibiotics. The fungus from which penicillin is derived. A genus of moldlike fungi that commonly grow on decaying fruit, bread, or cheese. The species P. chrysogenum is…

Also known as β-lactamases, these are enzymes that hydrolyze (break down) the β-lactam ring (portion) of the penicillin molecule’s structure. Some microorganisms (e.g., pathogenic bacteria) have become able to produce these enzymes as a defense to penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics (drugs). An enzyme produced by some bacteria that destroys penicillin. An enzyme produced by some…

A modified version of the enzyme human superoxide dismutase (hSOD) in which polyethylene glycol (a polymer made up of ethylene glycol monomers) is combined with the hSOD molecule. The PEG seems to wrap around or about the enzyme in such a way that the whole complex is able to exist in the blood for longer…

Also known as the pink bollworm, this is one of three insect species that is called “bollworms” (when they are on cotton plants). The holes that they chew in cotton plant’s bolls have been shown to enable the Aspergillas flavus fungus to infect those (chewed) cotton plants.  

A dominant gene which, when inserted into a plant’s genome, imparts resistance to glufosinate-ammonium containing herbicides. Because the glufosinate-ammonium herbicides act via inhibition of glutamine synthetase (an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of glutamine), this inhibition of enzyme kills plants (e.g., weeds). That is because glutamine is crucial for plants to synthesize critically needed amino…

An immune response (to a pathogen) that results from injecting another organism’s antibodies into the organism that is being challenged by the pathogen. Disease resistance in a person or animal due to the injection of antibodies from another person or animal. Immunity which is acquired by a baby in the uterus or by a person…

A constant (number) that expresses the ratio in which a given solute will be partitioned (i.e., distributed) between two given immiscible liquids (e.g., oil and water) at equilibrium.  

An enzyme, produced by genetically engineered hamster cells, which is utilized by man in order to determine/test if a given substance is carcinogenic.