Birgid Schlindwein's
Hypermedia Glossary Of Genetic Terms
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Birgid Schlindwein'sHypermedia Glossary Of Genetic TermsSearch Results |
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| Reverse transcription | The process of copying information found in RNA into DNA catalysed by a RNA dependant DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase). Reversal of transcription. |
| Ribonucleic acid (RNA) | A chemical found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells; it plays an important role in protein synthesis and other chemical activities of the cell. The structure of RNA is similar to that of DNA. There are several classes of RNA molecules, including messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomal RNA, and other small RNAs, each serving a different purpose. |
| Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) | The molecule that encodes genetic information. DNA is a double-stranded molecule held together by weak bonds between base pairs of nucleotides. The four nucleotides in DNA contain the bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). In nature, base pairs form only between A and T and between G and C; thus the base sequence of each single strand can be deduced from that of its partner. |
| DNA polymerase | Enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of nucleic acids on preexisting nucleic acid templates, assembling DNA from deoxyribonucleotides. Cf. RNA polymerase. |
| Reverse transcriptase | An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA from an RNA template. |
| Transcription | The synthesis of an RNA copy from a sequence of DNA (a gene); the first step in gene expression. Compare translation. |