at Related Biological Terms

A gene whose expression is associated with apoptosis, e.g. a Ca2+-activated endonuclease that cleaves exposed regions of chromatin to produce nucleosome-sized fragments. (see also oncogene)

see death-associated protein

A protein that induces apoptosis. It binds to a death receptor on the plasma membrane, resulting in an intracellular cascade of events that acitivates caspases and eventually causes apoptosis.Cohen, G. (2000) The Biochemist 22(2), 25-27

A thin filament of muscle, i.e. F-actin, to which are attached globular heads. The S1 fragments of myosin resemble in electron micrographs a string with attached arrowheads, all angled towards one end of the string.

(see coincidence painting (chromosome painting))

The oxidation of a compound by removal of equal numbers of protons and electrons, usually two of each.

A mutation caused by the absence of one of more nucleotides in the DNA sequence.

The destruction of the ordered folding of a protein or nucleic acid that is required for its normal function. Protein denaturation often involves a change from a specific globular or fibrous conformation to a random coil; nucleic acid denaturation often involves the dissociation of a duplex into single strands. (see also native structure) Related tool: molecular biology tools

(= sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE))

A method for detection of single base substitutions in DNA fragments. Putative mutant and normal double-stranded DNA fragments are applied along one edge of an agarose gel slab that contains a denaturing agent (e.g. urea and formamide) in a gradient perpendicular to the direction of electrophoresis. At a low concentration of the denaturant the fragments are more mobile, and at high concentration they are unfolded and therefore less mobile. The electrophoretic band describes a sigmoid curve on the developed gel; the denaturant concentration represents the mid-point of the curve and is characteristic of the sequence. Introduction of a GC-rich sequence, which is very stable to denaturation and thus acts as a GC clamp, into the DNA allows detection of mutations in the more stable regions of the DNA. Rossiter, B.J.F. and Caskey, C.T. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 12753-12756 Recommended reading: next generation sequencing