Biotechnology and Pharmacogenomics Flashcards
biotechnology
the manipulation (as through genetic engineering) of living organisms or their components to produce useful usually commercial products (as pest resistant crops, new bacterial strains, or novel pharmaceuticals)
antibody (immunoglobulin)
A protein produced by B lymphocytes in response to Ag molecules determined to be non-self. They recognize and bind to Ag, resulting in their inactivation or opsonization for phagocytosis or complement-mediated destruction.
antigen
a molecule that elicits an Ab-mediated immune response
bioinformatics
the application of computer sciences and information technology to the management and analysis of biological information
biotherapy
any treatment involving the administration of a microorganism or other biologic material
clotting factor (blood factor)
chemical blood constituents that interact to cause blood coagulation
combinatorial chemistry
a drug development strategy that uses nucleic acids and amino acids in various combinations to synthesize vast libraries of oligonucleotide or peptide compounds for high-throughput lead compound screening
cytokine
an extracellular signaling protein that mediates communication between cells to orchestrate the immune response and activate immune cells, such as lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
a polynucleotide molecule consisting of covalently linked nucleic acids that serves as the genetic material
enzyme
a protein that catalyzes a chemical reaction
gene
a region of DNA that encodes a specific RNA or protein responsible for a specific hereditary characteristic
gene therapy
therapeutic technologies that directly target human genes responsible for disease
genome
the complete set of genetic information for a given organism
genomics
the scientific discipline of mapping, sequencing, and analyzing genomes
hormone
a chemical substance imparting specific cellular effects that is transmitted by the bloodstream to cells distant from its physiologic source
hybridoma
a cell line generated by the fusion of Ab-producing B lymphocytes with lymphocyte tumor cells for the production of monoclonal Ab
interferon
a member of a group of cytokines that prevents viral replication and slows the growth and replication of cancer cells
interleukin
a member of a group of cytokines involved in orchestration and regulation of the immune response
liposome
a microscopic, sphere-like lipid droplet that functions as a therapeutic carrier
monoclonal antibody
The first component of the name is product specific
The second component indicates its therapeutic use:
ci
li
tu
The third component indicates the type of monoclonal Ab:
mo
xi
zu
The fourth component, mab, represents monoclonal Ab
an Ab derived from a hybridoma cell line
Second component
ci=cardiovascular
li=inflammation
tu=cancer
Third component
mo=murine
xi=chimeric
zu=humanized
pharmacogenomics
the scientific discipline of using genome-wide approaches to understand the inherited basis of differences between individuals in the response to drugs
plasmid
a small, circular, extra chromosomal DNA molecule capable of replication independent of that of the genome
polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
a molecular biologic technique for amplification of specific DNA molecules
protein
a functional product of a specific gene consisting of amino acids linked together through peptide bonds in a specific sequence
proteomics
the scientific field of the study of sequencing and analyzing the expression, modification, and function of proteins on a genome-wide or global scale
recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology
the application of DNA molecules derived by joining two DNA molecules from difference sources
restriction endonuclease
an enzyme capable of cleaving a DNA molecule in a site-specific manner
ribozymes
RNA molecules with intrinsic enzymatic activity
RNA (ribonucleic acid)
a polynucleotide molecule consisting of covalently linked ribonucleic acids
What serves as the template for protein synthesis?
messenger RNA (mRNA)
What serves as the adaptor molecules between amino acids and mRNA during protein synthesis?
transfer RNA (tRNA)
What serves as a component of the ribosome and participates in protein synthesis?
ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
small molecule chemistry
the field of drug development focusing on small organic nucleotide- or peptide-based molecules derived through either combinatorial chemistry or rational drug design
single nucleotide polymorphism
common DNA sequence variations among individuals involving a single nucleotide substitution
vaccine
a preparation of antigenic material administered to stimulate the development of Ab conferring active immunity against a particular pathogen or disease
What are the major macromolecular component of the cell and are responsible for conducting most of a cell’s biological activity?
proteins
Why is the specific sequence of proteins so important?
It is responsible for a protein’s structure and function
Where is the initial code for the synthesis of a given protein stored?
In a gene on a sequence of DNA that is part of a chromosome within the nucleus of a cell
What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
DNA encodes RNA, which, in turn, encodes proteins
What encodes amino acids within proteins?
codons
What is a codon?
A triplet of nucleic acid base pairs within the gene encoding the protein
expression vector
a plasmid designed to allow inducible expression of the inserted gene within a host cell
What is the goal of gene therapy?
To repair or correct a dysfunctional gene by selectively introducing rDNA into cells or tissues, thereby allowing the expression of a functional gene product
