| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Helicase | Enzyme that functions to unwind and unzip complementary DNA strands during in vivo DNA replication. |
| Topoisomerase | Enzyme that acts to relieve tension in DNA strands as they unwind during in vivo DNA replication. |
| DNA Polymerase | Enzyme that adds DNA nucleotides to the free 3' end. |
| RNA Primer/Primase | Enzyme that adds RNA nucleotides as primers to template strands during in vivo DNA replication. |
| RNase H | Enzyme that functions to degrade RNA primers during in vivo replication, that are bound to DNA template strands. |
| DNA Ligase | Enzyme that reconnects broken strands of DNA. |
| homologous pairs | two matching chromosomes having the same genes in the same order. |
| DNA replication | process by which DNA molecules are duplicated. |
| in vivo | referring to an experiment conducted in a living organism or cell; literally "in living." |
| primer | short piece of DNA that is complementary to a section of template strand and acts as an attachment and starting point for the synthesis strand during DNA replication. |
| in vitro | any synthesis that is done wholly or partly outside of a living organism; literally "in glass." |
| probes | fluorescently labeled DNA or RNA sequences that are used for gene identification. |
| DTT - dithiothreitol | A reducing agent that helps to stabilize the DNA polymerase in DNA synthesis, PCR, and DNA sequencing reactions. |
| template | strand of DNA from which a new complementary strand is synthesized. |
| dNTP | Nucleotide Triphosphates, which are reactants used as the sources of A, C, T, and G for a new strand of DNA. |
| dATP | Deoxyadenosine triphosphate, the cell's source of Adenine for DNA molecules. |
| dCTP | Deoxycytidine triphosphate, the cell's source of Cytosine for DNA molecules. |
| dGTP | Deoxyguanosine triphosphate, the cell's source of Guanine for DNA molecules. |
| dTTP | Deoxythymidine triphosphate, the cell's source of Thymine for DNA molecules. |
| reaction buffer | buffer in PCR that is used to maintain the pH of the synthesis reaction. |
| amplification | increase in the number of copies of a particular segment of DNA, usually as a result of PCR. |
| okazaki fragment | Due to the antiparallel nature of DNA, replication of copies on each strand template happens at different rates. One side is replicated continuously while the other is replicated in short pieces, which are okazaki fragments. |
| cross-linker | instrument that uses UV light to irreversibly bind DNA or RNA to membrane or paper. |
| hybridization | If equipped with a fluorescent label, hybridization will be visible in the primer or probe bound to complementary segments. |
| Southern Blot | a transfer of DNA to a membrane or paper for visualization. |
| microarray | assemblies of large numbers of samples of DNA. |
| microarray scanner | instrument that assesses the amount of fluorescence in a feature of a microarray. |
| primer design | process by which a primer sequence is proposed and constructed |
| oligonucleotide | synthetic DNA strand of desired sequence, manufactured chemically. |
| thermal cycler | cycles samples through three temperatures for PCR processes. |
| primer annealing | phase in PCR during which a primer binds to a template strand |
| extension | phase in PCR during which a complementary DNA strand is synthesized |
| optimization | process of analyzing all the variables to find the ideal conditions for a reaction or process |
| Karyotyping | process of comparing an individual's karyotype with a normal, standard one to check for anomalies. |
| VNTRs | abbreviation for variable number of tandem repeats, sections of repeated DNA sequences found at specific locations on certain chromosomes; the number of repeats varies from person to person; used for DNA fingerprinting |
| forensics | application of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and sociology to solving legal problems including crime scene analysis, accident analysis, child support cases, and paternity testing |
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