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Saturday, November 07, 2009

Glossary

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

E

Electrophoresis A technique for separating different types of molecules based on their patterns of movement in an electrical field.

Electroporation The creation of reversible small holes in a cell wall or membrane through which foreign DNA can pass. This DNA can then integrate into the cell's genome.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) A technique for detecting specific proteins by using antibodies linked to enzymes.

Embryonic stem cells Cells that can give rise to any type of differentiated cell. They can be derived from two sources: the inner cell mass from a blastocyst or the primordial germ cells (eggs and sperm) of an older embryo.

Endostatin An endogenous protein that blocks the proliferation of blood vessels.

Enzyme A protein catalyst that facilitates specific chemical or metabolic reactions necessary for cell growth and reproduction.

Erythropoietin (EPO) A protein that boosts production of red blood cells. It is clinically useful in treating certain types of anemia.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) A bacterium that inhabits the intestinal tract of most vertebrates. Much of the work using recombinant DNA techniques has been carried out with this organism because it has been genetically well characterized.

Eukaryote A cell or organism containing a true nucleus, with a well-defined membrane surrounding the nucleus. All organisms except bacteria, viruses and cyanobacteria are eukaryotic. Compare Prokaryote. Exon In eukaryotic cells, that part of the gene that is transcribed into messenger RNA and encodes a protein. See also Intron; Splicing.

Expression In genetics, manifestation of a characteristic that is specified by a gene. With hereditary disease, for example, a person can carry the gene for the disease but not actually have the disease. In this case, the gene is present but not expressed. In industrial biotechnology, the term is often used to mean the production of a protein by a gene that has been inserted into a new host organism.

Extremophiles Microorganisms that live at extreme levels of pH, temperature, pressure and salinity.

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