HOSA Biotechnology Study Guide

Antibiotics

Molecular agents derived from fungi and/or bacteria that impede the growth and survival of some other microorganisms

Antibodies

Proteins developed by the immune system that recognize specific molecules (antigens)

Biochemistry

The study of chemical reactions occurring in living things

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Nation research center to improve public health

Clinical trials

A strict series of tests that evaluates the effectiveness and safety of a medical treatment

Cloning

Method of asexual reproduction that produces identical organisms

Concentration

The amount of a substance as a proportion of another substance

Cystic Fibrosis

Genetic disorder that clogs the respiratory and digestive system with mucus

Data

Information gathered by documentation

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A double stranded helical molecule that stores genetic information for the production of proteins

Diabetes

A disorder affecting the uptake of sugar by cells due to inadequate insulin production or ineffective use of insulin

DNA fingerprinting

An experimental technique that is commonly used to identify individuals

DNA ligase

An enzyme that binds together disconnected strands of a DNA molecule

E.coli

A rod-shaped bacterium native to the intestines of mammals; commonly used in genetics researched and by biotechnology companies for the development of products

Efficacy

The ability to yield a desired result or demonstrate that a product does what it claims to do

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The federal agency that enforces environmental laws

Ethics

The study of moral standards and how they affect conduct

Fermentation

A process by which, in an oxygen deprived environment, a cell converts sugar into lactic acid or ethanol

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The federal agency that regulates the use and production of food, feed, food additives, veterinary drugs, human drugs, and medical devices

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

An organism produced by genetic engineering that contains DNA from another organism and produces new proteins encoded on the acquire DNA

Genetics

The study of genes and how they are inherited and expressed

Genome

One entire set if an organism's genetic material

Microbial agents

Synonym for microorganisms; living things too small to be seen without he aid of a microscope, includes bacteria, most algae, and many fungi

Human Genome Project

A collaborative international effort to sequence and map all the DNA on the 23 human chromosomes; completed in 2000

Insulin

A protein that facilitates the uptake of sugar into cells from blood

Journals

Scientific periodicals or magazines in which scientists publish their experimental work, findings, or conclusions

Large-scale production

the manufacturing of large volumes of a product

Molecular Biology

The study of biological structures, functions, and heredity at the molecular level.

Molar

a measure of the concentration of a solute in a solution, or of any chemical species, in terms of amount of substance in a given volume.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

involved in research on disease

Negative Control

groups where a negative result is expected

Pharmaceutical

related to the production of medicines

Plasmid

small, circular piece of DNA located in the cytoplasm of many bacteria

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

The technique used by biologists to make many copies of a particular gene

Positive Control

groups where a positive result is expected

Proteases

enzymes that hydrolyze protein

Pure Science

science used just for the knowledge. It's applied when you make use of it; the continuing search for scientific knowledge

Reagent

chemical substances that detects or synthesizes other substances in a chemical reaction

Recombinant DNA

DNA produced by combining DNA from different sources

Recombinant DNA Technology

technology that combines genes from different sources into a single DNA molecule

Research and Development (R&D)

The scientific process of creating and improving products via design and engineering

Restriction Enzyme

Enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides

Therapeutic

having the power to heal or cure; beneficial

Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA)

short for tissue plasminogen activator; one of the first genetically engineered products to be sold; a naturally occurring enzyme that breaks down blood clots and clears blocked blood vessels

U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA

regulates production of fresh fruits and vegetables;oversees the American farming industry

Variable

A factor that can change in an experiment

Virus

A piece of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

one of the principal chemical compounds that living things use to store and release energy

Amino Acids

monomers of proteins

Anatomy

The study of body structure

Carbohydrates

Source of energy; contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; sugars and starches

Cell

Basic unit of life

Cell wall

A rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell

Cellular respiration

The process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food

Cellulose

Carbohydrate component of plant cell walls.

Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells

epithelial cell line derived from the ovary of the Chinese hamster, often used in biological and medical research and commercially in the production of therapeutic proteins

Chlorophyll

A green pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants, algae, and some bacteria

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

Chromosomes

A cellular structure carrying genetic material, found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.

Cytology

The study of cells

Cytoplasm

the material within a cell apart from the nucleus

Cytoskeleton

a network of protein filaments that helps the cell to maintain its shape

Deoxyribose

A five-carbon sugar that is a component of DNA backbone

Disaccharide

A double sugar, consisting of two monosaccharides joined by dehydration synthesis.

Enzyme

protein that acts as a biological catalyst

Eukaryotic/Eukaryote

Cell with a nucleus (surrounded by its own membrane) and other internal organelles.

Fluorometer

a device used to measure parameters of fluorescence: its intensity and wavelength distribution of emission spectrum after excitation by a certain spectrum of light

Fructose

A monosaccharide found predominantly in fruit and honey

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important source of energy.

Hormone

Chemicals produced by your glands that regulate the activities of different body cells

Human epithelial (HeLa) cells

a cell type in an immortal cell line used in scientific research; It is the oldest and most commonly used human cell line; The line was derived from cervical cancer cells

Hydrophilic

Having an affinity for water.

Hydrophobic

Having an aversion to water; tending to coalesce and form droplets in water.

Lactose

glucose + galactose

Lipids

Fats

Lysosome

An organelle containing digestive enzymes

Macromolecule

A very large organic molecule composed of many smaller molecules

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

Carries the message that will be translated to form a protein

Mitochondria

supply energy to the cell

Monomers

small unit that can join together with other small units to form polymers

Monosaccharide

A single sugar molecule such as glucose or fructose, the simplest type of sugar.

Multicellular

Consisting of many cells

Nucleic acids

DNA and RNA

Nucleotides

Basic units of DNA molecule, composed of a sugar, a phosphate, and one of 4 DNA bases

Nucleus

A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction

Organ

A collection of tissues that carry out a specialized function of the body

Organelles

A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell.

Organic

Contains carbon

Organism

An individual living thing

Pancreas

Regulates the level of sugar in the blood

Phospholipids

a lipid consisting of a glycerol bound to two fatty acids and a phosphate group.

Photosynthesis

Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.

Physiology

science dealing with the functions of living things or their organs

Pigments

Molecules that absorb, reflect, or transmit light.

Plasma membrane

A selectively-permeable phospholipid bilayer forming the boundary of the cells

Polymer

A long molecule consisting of many similar or identical monomers linked together.

Polypeptide

long chain of amino acids that makes proteins

Polysaccharide

Long chains of linked monosaccharides.

Prokaryotic/Prokaryote

An organism whose cells do not have an enclosed nucleus, such as bacteria.

Proteins

Chains of amino acids