special topics

Vocabulary flashcards based on Genetics lecture notes.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

A technique used to make copies of a DNA molecule or region of a DNA molecule, mimicking DNA replication in a test tube.

PCR Primers

Short DNA molecules synthesized in a laboratory, designed to be identical to either end of the DNA sequence of interest, used in PCR.

Taq Polymerase

DNA polymerase extracted from Thermus aquaticus, a heat-resistant bacteria, used in PCR because it doesn't denature at high temperatures.

Template DNA

The DNA molecule of interest that contains the region to be copied during PCR.

Buffer Solution (in PCR)

A solution that maintains optimal salt and pH concentrations for DNA polymerase to function efficiently during PCR.

PCR Machine

An electrical device that cycles the temperature of PCR reaction tubes to specific temperatures for denaturation, annealing, and extension.

Denaturation (PCR)

The step in PCR where the temperature is increased to 95°C to break down cells and separate DNA strands into single strands.

Primer Annealing (PCR)

The step in PCR where the temperature is decreased to around 55°C to allow primers to base pair with the template DNA.

Extension (PCR)

The step in PCR where the temperature is increased to 72°C, the optimal temperature for Taq polymerase to replicate DNA.

CRISPR-Cas System

A defense system used by bacteria to protect themselves from viruses, recently adapted as a powerful tool to edit DNA.

CRISPR

Stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.

crRNA

CRISPR-derived RNA molecules transcribed from the CRISPR gene, that base pair with viral DNA.

Cas Enzymes

Enzymes that work with the bacterial CRISPR locus to provide viral immunity by cleaving viral DNA.

sgRNA

Single guide RNA, a crRNA gene used in CRISPR-Cas gene editing to target specific DNA sequences in a eukaryote chromosome.

Donor Template (CRISPR)

A synthetic double-stranded DNA sequence with a sequence modification/edit within it, used in CRISPR-Cas gene editing to repair DNA.

Off-target Effects (CRISPR)

A limitation of CRISPR-Cas gene editing where the sgRNA binds to unwanted sites in the genome, leading to undesirable side effects.

Virulence

The capacity of a virus to cause disease, which varies markedly among different viruses.

Capsid

The protein shell that surrounds the nucleic acids (DNA or RNA) of a virus.

Capsomeres

The protomers that form the capsid.

Helical Capsids

Capsids that resemble a bracelet.

Icosahedral Capsids

Capsids that have a geometric three-dimensional shape.

Complex Capsids

Capsids that have a complex non-symmetrical shape.

Envelope (Virus)

A lipid bilayer derived from the host cell's membrane that surrounds the capsid in some viruses.

Spike (Viral)

Viral glycoproteins that protrude from the envelope and attach the virus to the next host cell.

Coronaviruses

A class of enveloped viruses with a helical capsid and a single-stranded RNA genome.

ACE-2

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2, a protein found on the surface of respiratory tract cells that SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins bind to.

TMPRSS2

A protein in the cell membrane that cuts the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and causes the viral envelope to fuse with the cell membrane.

ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, antibody testing.

R0 number

Estimate of how many people will be infected by an average individual with the disease.

Microarray

DNA microarrays are used to analyze your genes. These are typically glass microscope slides with specific DNA molecules plotted on the slide.