Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

An adjective referring to formation and differentiation of tissues and organs in an organism.  

A trademark of the Groupe Limagrain company, it refers to the production of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals (e.g., intermediates utilized to manufacture pharmaceuticals) in agronomic plants (which have been genetically engineered).  

The science dealing with the study of the nature and biochemistry of the genetic material. Includes the technologies of genetic engineering. That branch of genetics concerned with the chemical structure, functions, and replications of the molecules—deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA)—involved in the transmission of hereditary information. The study of the molecular structure of…

Sometimes referred to as “irrational drug design,” this refers to the drug design technique of generating large numbers of diverse candidate molecules (e.g., pieces of DNA, RNA, proteins, or other organic moieties) at random (via a variety of methods). These diverse candidate molecules are then tested to see which is best at working against a…

An Avogadro’s number (6.023 x 1 0²³) of whatever units are being considered. One gram molecular weight of an element or a compound (i.e., same number of grams of an element or a compound as that substance’s molecular weight, equal to 6.023 x 10²³ molecules). Molecular weight of a compound expressed in grams. Densely packed…

Referring to a part or portion of a molecule, generally complex, having a characteristic chemical or pharmacological property. One of two approximately equal parts.    

Enzymes catalyzing simultaneous oxidation of two substances by oxygen, one of which is usually NADPH or NADH.  

The domain/active site of a (former) native protein after all or most of its extraneous (unneeded) portions (peptides) have been removed. In 1995, Brian Cunningham and James A. Wells reduced the 28-residue (peptide) protein (hormone) Atrial Natriuretic Factor to 15-residues (peptides) size without reducing its potency (biological activity). Minimized proteins—that retain their potency—hold the potential…

Pieces of the same small segment (i.e., a DNA sequence) which are “repeated” (appear repeatedly in sequence within the DNA molecule) adjacent to a specific gene within the DNA molecule. Thus, these “microsatellites” are linked to that specific gene.  

A technique used by man to replicate (massproduce) a given (e.g., valuable) plant by making genetic clones (“copies”) of that original plant.