Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions.
In molecular biology, housekeeping genes are typically constitutive genes that are required for the maintenance of basic cellular function, and are expressed in all cells of an organism under normal and patho-physiological conditions. Although some housekeeping genes are expressed at relatively constant rates in most non-pathological situations, the expression of other housekeeping genes may vary depending on experimental conditions.
Genetics, a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and variation in living organisms.
Gene mapping or genome mapping describes the methods used to identify the location of a gene on a chromosome and the distances between genes. Gene mapping can also describe the distances between different sites within a gene.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to biochemistry:
Chromosome 1 is the designation for the largest human chromosome. Humans have two copies of chromosome 1, as they do with all of the autosomes, which are the non-sex chromosomes. Chromosome 1 spans about 249 million nucleotide base pairs, which are the basic units of information for DNA. It represents about 8% of the total DNA in human cells.
Chromosome 6 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 6 spans more than 172 million base pairs and represents between 5.5 and 6% of the total DNA in cells. It contains the major histocompatibility complex, which contains over 100 genes related to the immune response, and plays a vital role in organ transplantation.
Chromosome 2 is one of the twenty-three pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 2 is the second-largest human chromosome, spanning more than 242 million base pairs and representing almost eight percent of the total DNA in human cells.
Chromosome 3 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 3 spans 201 million base pairs and represents about 6.5 percent of the total DNA in cells.
Chromosome 12 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 12 spans about 133 million base pairs and represents between 4 and 4.5 percent of the total DNA in cells.
Chromosome 19 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 19 spans more than 61.7 million base pairs, the building material of DNA. It is considered the most gene-rich chromosome containing roughly 1,500 genes, despite accounting for only 2 percent of the human genome.
Functional cloning is a molecular cloning technique that relies on prior knowledge of the encoded protein’s sequence or function for gene identification. In this assay, a genomic or cDNA library is screened to identify the genetic sequence of a protein of interest. Expression cDNA libraries may be screened with antibodies specific for the protein of interest or may rely on selection via the protein function. Historically, the amino acid sequence of a protein was used to prepare degenerate oligonucleotides which were then probed against the library to identify the gene encoding the protein of interest. Once candidate clones carrying the gene of interest are identified, they are sequenced and their identity is confirmed. This method of cloning allows researchers to screen entire genomes without prior knowledge of the location of the gene or the genetic sequence.
Zinc finger protein 143 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ZNF143 gene.
Ring Finger Protein 113A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RNF113A gene. It is found in humans on the X Chromosome. RNF113A contains two highly conserved domains, the RING finger domain and Zinc finger domain. RING finger domains have been associated with some tumor suppressors and cytokine receptor-associated molecules. These domains also act in DNA repair and mediating protein-protein interactions. Aliases of RNF113A across taxa include RNF113, CWC24, and ZNF183.
This glossary of cellular and molecular biology is a list of definitions of terms and concepts commonly used in the study of cell biology, molecular biology, and related disciplines, including genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology. It is split across two articles:
This glossary of cellular and molecular biology is a list of definitions of terms and concepts commonly used in the study of cell biology, molecular biology, and related disciplines, including genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology. It is split across two articles: