| DNA repair gene | A gene engaged in DNA repair. When a DNA repair gene is altered, mutations pile up throughout the DNA. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| DNA repair pathway | The sequence of steps in the repair of DNA. Each step is governed by an enzyme. (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA, repetitive | DNA sequences that are repeated in the genome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA replicase | <enzyme> An aspect of EC 2.7.7.7; mouse enzyme has both DNA polymerase and DNA primase activity Registry number: EC 2.7.7.- (26 Jun 1999) |
| DNA replication | <molecular biology> The process whereby a copy of a DNA molecule is made and thus the genetic information it contains is duplicated. The parental double stranded DNA molecule is replicated semi conservatively, i.e. Each copy contains one of the original strands paired with a newly synthesised strand that is complementary in terms of at and GC base pairing. Though in this sense conceptually simple, mechanistically a complex process involving a number of enzymes. (18 Nov 1997) |
| DNA restriction enzymes | <enzyme> Enzymes that are part of the restriction-modification systems. They catalyze the endonucleolytic cleavage of DNA sequences which lack the species-specific methylation pattern in the host cell's DNA. Cleavage yields random or specific double-stranded fragments with terminal 5'-phosphates. The function of restriction enzymes is to destroy any foreign DNA that invades the host cell. most have been studied in bacterial systems, but a few have been found in eukaryotic organisms. They are also used as tools for the systematic dissection and mapping of chromosomes, in the determination of base sequences of dnas, and have made it possible to splice and recombine genes from one organism into the genome of another. Registry number: EC 3.1.21 (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA restriction-modification enzymes | Systems consisting of two enzymes, a modification methylase and a restriction endonuclease. They are closely related in their specificity and protect the DNA of a given bacterial species. The methylase adds methyl groups to adenine or cytosine residues in the same target sequence that constitutes the restriction enzyme binding site. The methylation renders the target site resistant to restriction, thereby protecting DNA against cleavage. (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA reverse gyrase | <enzyme> A topoisomerase II subclass which introduces positive superhelical turns into DNA Registry number: EC 3.1.- Synonym: reverse gyrase (26 Jun 1999) |
| DNA, ribosomal | DNA sequences encoding ribosomal RNA. These sequences regulate amplification and transcription initiation and contain transcribed and nontranscribed spacer segments. (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA-RNA hybrid | Double-stranded polynucleic acids in which one strand is DNA and the other strand is the complementary RNA; formed during transcription and during multiplication of oncogenic RNA viruses. (05 Mar 2000) |
| DNA-RNA hybridisation | <molecular biology> A type of hybridisation. In this case, a strand of DNA is joined with a complementary strand of RNA to form a double-stranded molecule (or one which is partly double-stranded, if one of the original single strands is shorter than the other). (09 Oct 1997) |
| DNA, satellite | DNA that contains many tandem (not inverted) repeats of a short basic repeating unit. Satellite DNA is located at very specific spots in the genome (on chromosomes 1, 9, 16 and the Y chromosome, the tiny short arms of chromosomes 13-15 and 21 and 22, and near the centromeres of chromosomes). (12 Dec 1998) |
| DNA sequence | <molecular biology> The relative order of base pairs, whether in a fragment of DNA, a gene, a chromosome, or an entire genome. See: base sequence analysis. (09 Oct 1997) |
| DNA sequence analysis | <molecular biology> Determination of the nucleotide sequence of a length of DNA. Typically, this is performed by cloning the DNA of interest, so that enough can be prepared to allow the sequence to be determined, usually by the Sanger dideoxy chain temination or Maxam Gilbert chain degradation techniques. The resulting reactions are then run on a large sequencing gel, capable of resolving single nucleotide differences in chain length. Recently, PCR based methods have obviated the need to clone the DNA under some conditions and automated DNA sequencing has become widely available. (18 Nov 1997) |
| DNA sequence, unstable | DNA region comprised of a variable number of repetitive, contiguous trinucleotide sequences. Presence of these regions is associated with diseases such as fragile x syndrome and myotonia atrophica. (12 Dec 1998) |