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  Home >> Molecular Biology Dictionary >> Initiation codon Initiator - In situ conservation

Initiation
1. Early steps or stages of a tissue culture process (culture growth, organogenesis, embryogenesis)
2. Early stages of biosynthesis.

Initiation codon; initiator
The codon AUG which specifies the first amino acid methionine of a polypeptide chain. In bacteria, the initiation codon is either AUG, which is translated as n formyl methionine or, rarely, GUG (valine). In eukaryotes, the initiation codon is always AUG and is translated as methionine. The term is also used to describe the corresponding sequence DNA, namely ATG. See start codon; initiator codon.

Initiation factors
Soluble proteins required for the initiation  of translation.

Initiator
See initiation codon.

Inoculation cabinet

Small room or cabinet for inoculation (of tissue or micro organism cultures) operations, often with a current of sterile air to carry contaminants away from the work area.

Inoculum
(pI: inocula) 1. A small piece of tissue cut from callus, or an explant from a tissue or organ, or a small amount of cell material from a suspension culture, transferred into fresh medium for continued growth of the culture. See also minimum inoculum size.
2. Microbial spores or parts (such as mycelium).
3. Vaccine.
Inositol lipid
A membrane anchored phospholipid that transduces hormonal signals by stimulating the release of any of several chemical messengers. See phospholipid.

Insert
1. A DNA molecule that is incorporated into a cloning vector.
2. In a complete plasmid clone  there are two types of DNA the “vector" sequences and the “insert”. The vector sequences are those regions necessary for propagation, antibiotic resistance, and all those mundane functions necessary for useful cloning. In contrast, however, the insert is the piece of DNA in which you are really interested.

Insertion element
Generic term for DNA sequences found in bacteria capable of genome insertion. Postulate to be responsible for site specific phage and plasmid integration.

Insertion mutations
Changes in the base sequence of a DNA molecule resulting from the random integration DNA from another source. See DNA; mutation.

Insertion sequence
See IS element.

Insertion site; cloning site
A unique restriction site in a vector DNA molecule into which foreign DNA can be inserted. The term is also to describe the position of integration of a transposon or insertion site element.

In situ colony; in situ plaque hybridization
A procedure for screening colonies or plaques growing on plates or membranes for the presence of specific DNA  sequences by the hybridization of nucleic acid probes to the DNA molecules present in these colonies or plaques.

In situ conservation
A conservation method that attempts to preserve the integrity of genetic resources by conserving then within the evolutionary dynamic ecosystems of their original habitat or natural environment. cf ex situ conservation.

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