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A macrocyclic (doughnut-shaped) carbohydrate ring produced enzymatically from starch. The external surface is hydrophobic while the interior is hydrophilic in nature. The hole of the doughnut is large enough to accommodate guest molecules. Uses include solubilization, separation, and stabilization of molecules in the interior cavity of or in association with the cyclodextrin molecules. A molecule…

A molecule of AMP (adenosine monophosphate) in which the phosphate group is joined to both the 3 ‘ and the 5’ positions of the ribose, forming a cyclic (ring) strucUire. When cAMP binds to CAP, the complex is a positive regulator of procaryotic transcription. A second messenger for catabolic hormone effects. The hormone binds to…

Any nutrient system for the artificial cultivation of bacteria or other cells. It usually consists of a complex mixture of organic and inorganic materials. For example, the classic culture (growth) medium used for bacteria consists of nutrients (required by that bacteria) plus agar to solidify or semi-solidify the nutrient containing mass. A substance in which…

One of the “cry” proteins, it is a protoxin that—when eaten by European com borer, southwestern comborer, black cutworm, and some species of armyworm—is toxic to those insects. However, if eaten by a mammal, the cry9C is nontoxic.  

A class of proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) bacteria (or plants into which a B.t. gene has been inserted). Cry proteins are toxic to certain categories of insects (com borers, mosquitoes, black flies, some types of beetles, etc.), but harmless to mammals and beneficial insects.  

When an antibody molecule (against one antigen) can combine with (bind to) a different (second) antigen. This sometimes occurs because the second antigen’s molecular structure (shape) is very similar to that of the first antigen. A reaction between an antibody and an antigen that is similar to the specific antigen for which the antibody was…

Also known as the CMC of a surfactant. It is the lowest surfactant concentration at which micelles are formed. That is, the CMC represents that concentration of surfactant at which the individual surfactant molecules aggregate into distinct, high molecular weight spherical entities called micelles. Or from another viewpoint, it represents the concentration of a surfactant,…

The enzyme 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase, which is naturally produced by an Agrobacterium species (strain CP4) of soil bacteria. CP4 EPSPS is essential for the functioning of that bacterium’s metabolism biochemical pathway. CP4 EPSPS happens to be unaffected by glyphosate containing herbicides, so introduction of the CP4 EPSPS gene into crop plants (e.g., soybeans) makes those plants…

A chemical that is naturally coded for by a certain cow-pea plant gene. It kills certain insect larvae by inhibiting digestion of ingested trypsin by the larvae, thereby starving the larvae to death.  

A virus that infects cow-pea plants (which are known as black-eyed peas in the United States), but does not infect animals. Researchers have discovered how to cause CpMV to express certain animal virus proteins (i.e., antigens) on its surface, via genetic engineering. These virus antigens hold potential to replace the antigens currently used in vaccines,…