| AE | above-elbow [amputation]; acrodermatitis enteropathica; activation energy; adult erythrocyte; advers... |
|---|---|
| ARAM | antigen recognition activation motif |
| CMNA | complement-mediated neutrophil activation |
| HIPA | heparin-induced platelet activation |
| INAA | instrumental neutron activation analysis |
| trans-activation (genetics) | Increased rate of gene expression directed by either viral or cellular proteins. These regulatory factors (diffusible gene products) act in trans -- that is, act on homologous or heterologous molecules of DNA. (cis-acting factors act only on homologous molecules.) (12 Dec 1998) |
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| energy of activation | Energy that must be added to that already possessed by a molecule or molecules in order to initiate a reaction; usually expressed in the Arrhenius equation relating a rate constant to absolute temperature. (05 Mar 2000) |
| juxtacrine activation | Activation of target cells by membrane anchored growth factors, also used for activation of leucocytes by PAF bound to endothelial cell surface. (18 Nov 1997) |
| feedback activation | The activation of an enzyme by an end product of a biochemical pathway in which that enzyme plays a part. For example, the activation of factors VIII and V by thrombin during blood clotting. (05 Mar 2000) |
| feed-forward activation | The activation of an enzyme by a precursor of the substrate of that enzyme. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upstream activation site | A DNA sequence that regulates transcription like an enhancer but does notwork if its located downstream from a promoter. (09 Oct 1997) |
| low-activation materials | <radiobiology> In fission reactors, one is forced to deal with the radioactive byproducts of the fission process, but in fusion reactors one generally has a choice of what materials to expose to neutrons produced by the fusion process. A major problem for fusion reactors is developing materials (such as for the reactor vacuum vessel structure) which can be exposed to high levels of neutron bombardment without becoming permanently radioactive. Candidate structural materials which have relatively low induced radiactivation (generally relative to stainless steel) are known as low-activation materials, these include titanium, vanadium, and silicon-carbide. (09 Oct 1997) |
| lymphocyte activation | <haematology> The change in morphology and behaviour of lymphocytes exposed to a mitogen or to an antigen to which they have been primed. The result is the production of lymphoblasts, cells that are actively engaged in protein synthesis and that divide to form effector populations. Should not be confused with transformation of the type associated with oncogenic viruses and activation is therefore perhaps a better term. (18 Nov 1997) |
| acetyl-activating enzyme | A ligase that catalyses the reaction of acetate and CoA and ATP to form AMP, pyrophosphate, and acetyl-CoA. A key step in the activation of acetate. Synonym: acetate thiokinase, acetate-CoA ligase, acetyl-activating enzyme, acetyl-CoA synthetase. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acyl-activating enzyme | <enzyme> Fatty acid thiokinase (long-chain), a ligase forming acyl-CoA, AMP, and pyrophosphate from long-chain fatty acids, ATP, and coenzyme A. Activity is independent of phosphatidylcholine Registry number: EC 6.2.1.3 Synonym: acyl-activating enzyme, dodecanoyl-CoA synthetase, fatty acid thiokinase (long chain), acid-coenzyme a ligase, fatty acid-CoA ligase, acyl-CoA synthetase, acyl-CoA ligase, coash ligase, ciprofibroyl-CoA synthetase, pristanoyl-CoA synthetase, palmityl CoA synthetase, palmitoyl CoA synthetase, palmitoyl CoA ligase, fatty acyl-CoA synthetase, very long chain fatty acid acyl-CoA synthetase, vlcfa acyl-CoA synthetase, nafenopin-CoA ligase, palmitoyl-CoA synthase, faa2 gene product, faa2p protein, vlacs enzyme (26 Jun 1999) |
| adaptive enzyme | Inducible enzyme, an enzyme that can be detected in a growing culture of a microorganism, after the addition of a particular substance (inducer) to the culture medium, but was not detectable prior to the addition and can act on the inducer. A prototype is the beta-galactosidase of Escherichia coli, synthesised upon the addition of various galactosides, whether or not these are good substrates. Compare: constitutive enzyme. Synonym: adaptive enzyme. (05 Mar 2000) |
| allosteric enzyme | <biochemistry, chemistry> A regulatory enzyme whose activity is modified by the noncovalent binding of a particular metabolite at a site (the allosteric site) other than the active site. (09 Oct 1997) |
| amino acid activating enzyme | <enzyme> Enzymes catalyzing the formation of a specific aminoacyl-tRNA from an amino acid and adenosine 5'-triphosphate with the concomitant formation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate and pyrophosphate. Synonym: amino acid activating enzyme, aminoacyl-tRNA ligases. (05 Mar 2000) |
| angiotensin-converting enzyme | <enzyme> This hydrolase enzyme cleaves the decapeptide angiotensin I (biologically inactive) to form active angiotensin II by angiotensin-converting enzyme which removes a dipeptide (histidylleucine) from angiotensin I. Angiotensin II causes contraction of vascular smooth muscle and thus raises blood pressure and stimulates aldosterone release from the adrenal glands. Angiotensin is finally broken down by angiotensinases. Elevations in angiotensin converting enzyme are seen sarcoidosis, histoplasmosis, alcoholic cirrhosis, asbestosis, berylliosis, diabetes, Hodgkin's disease, hyperthyroidism, amyloidosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary embolism, scleroderma, silicosis, tuberculosis, Gaucher's disease and leprosy. The normal values are 18 to 67 U/ml over 20 years of age (people under 20 have higher levels). Drugs that inhibit ACE are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure. See: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor Acronym: ACE (12 Aug 2000) |
| angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor | <pharmacology> A class of drugs used in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. They exert their haemodynamic effect mainly by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system and produce a reduction of peripheral arterial resistance. They also modulate sympathetic nervous system activity and increase prostaglandin synthesis. They cause mainly vasodilation and mild natriuresis without affecting heart rate and contractility. (14 Aug 2000) |