| cap binding protein | <molecular biology, protein> Protein (24 kD) with affinity for cap structure at 5' end of mRNA that probably assists, together with other initiation factors, in binding the mRNA to the 40S ribosomal subunit. Translation of mRNA in vitro is faster if it has a cap binding protein. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| galactose binding protein | <protein> A bacterial periplasmic protein, most studied in E. Coli, that acts both as a sensory element in the detection of galactose as a chemotactic signal and in the uptake of the sugar. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Raji cell binding test | <investigation> A test for the detection of soluble IgG antigen complexes. Raji cells are a line of EBV transformed lymphocytes with surface Fc receptors. Complexes are detected by their ability to compete with a radiolabelled aggregated IgG for binding to the cells. (18 Nov 1997) |
| maltose binding protein | <protein> Protein of the bacterial (E. Coli) surface that links with MCP II and is involved in the chemotactic response to maltose, probably derived from a similar protein that links with a trans membrane transport system. (18 Nov 1997) |
| vitamin d-binding protein | An alpha-globulin found in the plasma of man and other vertebrates. It is apparently synthesised in the liver and carries vitamin d and its metabolites through the circulation and mediates the response of tissue. It is also known as group-specific component (gc). Gc subtypes are used to determine specific phenotypes and gene frequencies. These data are employed in the classification of population groups, paternity investigations, and in forensic medicine. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cellular retinoic acid binding protein | <protein> A cytoplasmic fatty acid binding protein that acts as an initial receptor for the putative morphogen, retinoic acid. (18 Nov 1997) |
| retinol-binding protein | <molecular biology> Proteins which bind with retinol. The retinol-binding protein found in plasma has an alpha-1 mobility on electrophoresis and a molecular weight of 21,000-22,000. The protein has one binding site for retinol and is responsible for the transport of vitamin A. The retinol- protein complex (molecular weight 80,000 to 90,000) circulates in plasma in the form of a protein-protein complex with prealbumin. The retinol-binding protein found in tissue has a molecular weight of 14,000 and carries retinol as a non-covalently-bound ligand. (03 Jul 1999) |
| periplasmic binding proteins | Transport proteins located within the periplasmic space. Some act as receptors for bacterial chemotaxis, interacting with MCPs. Their mode of action is unclear. (18 Nov 1997) |
| ribose binding protein | <protein> Periplasmic binding proteins of bacteria that interact either with the ribose transport system or with the methyl accepting chemotaxis protein MCP III (trg). (18 Nov 1997) |
| ribosome binding site | The region of a messenger RNA molecule that binds the ribosome to initiate translation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| GTP-binding protein | <molecular biology, protein> There are two main classes of G-proteins, the heterotrimeric G proteins that associate with receptors of the seven transmembrane domain superfamily and are involved in signal transduction and the small cytoplasmic G-proteins. Regulatory proteins found in all cells. They are versatile molecular switches, involved in the control of a wide range of biological processes - protein synthesis, signal transduction pathways, growth and differentiation. They all act through a common molecular mechanism based on their ability to bind the guanine nucleotides GTP and GDP selectively and with high affinity. Stimulatory G-proteins are permanently activated by cholera toxin, inhibitory ones by pertussis toxin. Transducin was one of the first of the heterotrimeric G-proteins to be identified. The small G-proteins are a diverse group of monomeric GTPases that include ras, rab, rac and rho and that play an important part in regulating many intracellular processes including cytoskeletal organisation and secretion. Their GTPase activity is regulated by activators (GAPs) and inhibitors (GIPs) that determine the duration of the active state. (12 Jul 2000) |
| RNA-binding proteins | Proteins which bind to RNA molecules. Certain structure motifs are common to several of the proteins, such as arginine (arg)-rich tracts, typically consisting of alternating arg-asp, arg-ser, or arg-gly residues. These proteins also tend to have a common ribonucleotide sequence domain. (12 Dec 1998) |
| guanosine triphosphate binding protein | <protein> A type of protein embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane of the cell which transmits signals from outside the cell (such as from hormones binding to receptors on the outside of the cell) to the inside of the cell, where it causes some sort of biochemical reaction within the cell to the signal (such as the altering of metabolic pathways or gene expression). The process by which the protein does this is unclear but involves exchanging a molecule of GDP for a molecule of GTP. (09 Oct 1997) |
| placental calcium-binding protein | <protein> Calcium binding protein of placenta, uterus and vasculature containing the EF hand motif. (18 Nov 1997) |
| competitive binding assay | General term for an assay in which a binder competes for labelled versus unlabelled ligand; following separation of free and bound ligand, the ligand (the analyte assayed) is quantitated by relating bound and unbound ratios to known standards. See: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, radioreceptor assay, immunoassay, enzyme-multiplied immunoassay technique, radioimmunoassay. Synonym: displacement analysis, saturation analysis. (05 Mar 2000) |