Terms to Know in The World of GMOs
Artificial gene synthesis - like oligonucleotide synthesis computers control highly controlled fixations of nucleotides to each other in order
Base pairs - the pairing of the four nucleotide bases-- cytosine and guanine; adenine and thymine
Biolistics - tiny metal fragments are coated in DNA and then shot into recipient cells.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - a molecule that holds the information for genetic material
DNA insertion - technique for creating a change in genetic coding; the insertion relies on isolating a specific code and introducing it into an organism
DNA ligase - enzyme that facilitates the joining of DNA strands
Double helix - which is more or less like the shape of a twisted, spiral ladder - made up of two "backbone" strands of covalently bonded sugar-phosphates with nucleotide bases attached
Electroportation - DNA fragments are placed in suspension with cells then a current is passed through the system, the electrical pulse disrupts the membrane of the cells and allows the DNA to enter into the cell
Gene gun - a syringe used for inserting genes into an organism's nucleus
Gene splicing - during this process, the genes of one organism are split and cut using specific enzymes
Genes - the traits that are determined by DNA structure
Genetic modification - the act of artificially changing the DNA codes of cells in a given organism by way of DNA cloning and protein engineering
Genetically modified organism (GMO) - an organism, often plant or animal, whose genetic makeup has been manipulated by means of engineering its DNA for the purpose of study and research, and often to create products such as food or medicine
Microinjection - refers to the process of using a glass micropipette to insert substances at a microscopic or borderline macroscopic level into a single living cell
Molecular cloning - is a set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms
Nuclease-enzymes that sever the bonds between nucleic acids
Nucleotide bases - nitrogenous bases that make up nucleotides-- adenine, cytosine, thymine, guanine
Passenger sequence - in molecular cloning, it is the isolated sequence
Recombinant DNA (rDNA) - the new combination of DNA resulting from gene splicing
Transfection - genetic material is planted into a virus which then implants the genetic code into organisms that it comes into contact with on a cellular level
Transformation - process used to get foreign genetic material introduced into living organisms
Vector - a sequence that codes for the reading and replication of the passenger sequence
Base pairs - the pairing of the four nucleotide bases-- cytosine and guanine; adenine and thymine
Biolistics - tiny metal fragments are coated in DNA and then shot into recipient cells.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - a molecule that holds the information for genetic material
DNA insertion - technique for creating a change in genetic coding; the insertion relies on isolating a specific code and introducing it into an organism
DNA ligase - enzyme that facilitates the joining of DNA strands
Double helix - which is more or less like the shape of a twisted, spiral ladder - made up of two "backbone" strands of covalently bonded sugar-phosphates with nucleotide bases attached
Electroportation - DNA fragments are placed in suspension with cells then a current is passed through the system, the electrical pulse disrupts the membrane of the cells and allows the DNA to enter into the cell
Gene gun - a syringe used for inserting genes into an organism's nucleus
Gene splicing - during this process, the genes of one organism are split and cut using specific enzymes
Genes - the traits that are determined by DNA structure
Genetic modification - the act of artificially changing the DNA codes of cells in a given organism by way of DNA cloning and protein engineering
Genetically modified organism (GMO) - an organism, often plant or animal, whose genetic makeup has been manipulated by means of engineering its DNA for the purpose of study and research, and often to create products such as food or medicine
Microinjection - refers to the process of using a glass micropipette to insert substances at a microscopic or borderline macroscopic level into a single living cell
Molecular cloning - is a set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms
Nuclease-enzymes that sever the bonds between nucleic acids
Nucleotide bases - nitrogenous bases that make up nucleotides-- adenine, cytosine, thymine, guanine
Passenger sequence - in molecular cloning, it is the isolated sequence
Recombinant DNA (rDNA) - the new combination of DNA resulting from gene splicing
Transfection - genetic material is planted into a virus which then implants the genetic code into organisms that it comes into contact with on a cellular level
Transformation - process used to get foreign genetic material introduced into living organisms
Vector - a sequence that codes for the reading and replication of the passenger sequence
Biodiversity - the number of different species in an area, and a measure of the diversity within a species (i.e. genetic diversity)
Conservation tillage - process that conserves soil by reducing erosion
Gene flow - when cross-pollination integrates segments of DNA from one organism into the genome of another
Monocultures - fields planted with genetically similar organisms (corn fields and rice fields are common examples)
Niche - an organism's specific environment
Soil cultivation - a process used to improve the condition of soil before it is crops or plants are established
Transgenic crops - crops containing scientifically engineered organisms that had foreign genes transferred into their genome
Conservation tillage - process that conserves soil by reducing erosion
Gene flow - when cross-pollination integrates segments of DNA from one organism into the genome of another
Monocultures - fields planted with genetically similar organisms (corn fields and rice fields are common examples)
Niche - an organism's specific environment
Soil cultivation - a process used to improve the condition of soil before it is crops or plants are established
Transgenic crops - crops containing scientifically engineered organisms that had foreign genes transferred into their genome