The vocabulary of molecular biology.

The energy barrier that must be overcome for a chemical reaction to begin.

A study method that means trying to remember information without looking at notes first.

The region of an enzyme where the substrate binds and the chemical reaction happens.

Movement of substances across a membrane against a gradient using energy.

A jelly-like polysaccharide used to make gels that separate DNA fragments by size.

One of two or more versions of a gene at the same location on a chromosome.

How common a particular allele is in a population.

One of the small molecular building blocks that link together to form proteins.

Running in opposite chemical directions, as the two strands of DNA do.

The smallest unit of a chemical element that still behaves like that element.

Adenosine triphosphate, the main energy-carrying molecule used by cells.

Adenosine triphosphate, the main energy-carrying molecule used by cells.

A pattern of inheritance in which one copy of a variant allele can produce the trait.

A pattern of inheritance in which two variant alleles are usually needed for the trait to appear.

Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.

Two nucleotides on opposite DNA strands held together by hydrogen bonds (A-T, G-C).

The attachment of one molecule, structure, or region to another through specific interactions.

The study of the chemical processes and molecules that operate in living things.

The idea that living systems are arranged in levels, from molecules to cells to organisms.

A molecule produced by living organisms, such as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, or carbohydrates.

A biological or bioengineered system that detects a specific molecule or condition and produces a measurable signal.

A person or organism that has a genetic variant and can pass it on, often without showing the trait.

An enzyme used in CRISPR systems to cut DNA at a targeted location.

The process of speeding up a chemical reaction by lowering the energy barrier.

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.

A relationship in which one event or factor helps cause another.

The smallest unit that can carry out the basic processes of life.

The thin lipid layer that surrounds a cell and controls what enters and leaves.

The idea that all living things are made of cells and that cells come from preexisting cells.

The process cells use to extract energy from food molecules and make ATP.

The process cells use to extract energy from food molecules and make ATP.

The usual flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.

The constricted region of a chromosome where sister chromatids are most tightly joined.

The constricted region of a chromosome where sister chromatids are most tightly joined.

A protein that helps other proteins fold or avoid harmful aggregation.

DNA packaged with proteins, including histones, inside eukaryotic cells.

A long, organized package of DNA and protein found in the cell nucleus.

A study in people that tests whether a treatment is safe and effective.

A sequence of three RNA bases that codes for one amino acid or a stop signal.

A diagram that shows relationships between ideas or terms.

A bacterial defense system adapted as a precise tool for editing DNA.

The folded inner membrane structures of mitochondria that increase surface area for energy production.

The folded inner membrane structures of mitochondria that increase surface area for energy production.

The gel-like fluid inside a cell where many reactions take place.

A reaction that joins smaller molecules together by removing water.

A mutation in which one or more DNA bases are lost from a sequence.

The loss of a protein's normal shape, often causing it to stop working properly.

An iterative workflow that designs a system, builds it, measures it, and uses the result to improve the next design.

The passive movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration.

Deoxyribonucleic acid: the double-stranded molecule that stores genetic information.

The process of putting DNA fragments together into a chosen construct.

An enzyme that seals breaks between DNA fragments by forming a DNA backbone bond.

An enzyme that builds a new DNA strand using an existing strand as a template.

Cellular processes that detect and correct many kinds of DNA damage.

The process by which a cell copies its DNA before cell division.

The ordered series of DNA bases in a strand of DNA.

A variant or trait that can appear when only one copy is present.

The twisted ladder-like shape formed by the two strands of a DNA molecule.

A microscopy method that uses electrons instead of light to reveal very small structures.

A protein that speeds up a specific chemical reaction in the cell.

An organism whose cells have a membrane-bound nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

A sequence retained in a mature RNA after introns are removed from many eukaryotic transcripts.

Passive movement across a membrane with the help of a transport protein.

A mutation caused by an insertion or deletion that shifts how a sequence is read.

A segment of DNA that contains the instructions to build a specific RNA or protein.

The process by which information in a gene is used to make a functional RNA or protein product.

A therapeutic approach that uses genetic material or genetically modified cells to affect disease-related biology.

Differences in DNA or traits among individuals in a population.

The complete set of DNA in an organism, including all of its genes.

The genetic makeup of an organism or cell at one or more loci.

Cells that give rise to eggs or sperm, so changes may be passed to future generations.

A membrane-bound organelle that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and other molecules.

An RNA sequence that directs a CRISPR enzyme to the matching DNA target that should be edited.

Having two different versions of a gene at a particular locus.

A protein around which eukaryotic DNA can wrap as part of chromatin packaging.

The maintenance of stable internal conditions inside a cell or organism.

Having two identical versions of a gene at a particular locus.

A reaction that breaks a molecule apart by adding water.

A mutation in which one or more DNA bases are added into a sequence.

A sequence removed from many eukaryotic RNA transcripts during processing.

A broad class of mostly water-insoluble biomolecules that includes fats and membrane components.

The specific position of a gene or other DNA sequence on a chromosome.

A very large molecule such as a protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, or lipid complex.

A thin boundary layer that separates compartments and controls movement between them.

The use of microscopes or imaging methods to view structures too small to see with the naked eye.

A problem in which a protein folds into the wrong shape and may lose function or clump together.

The organelle that produces most of a cell's usable energy as ATP.

The study of how DNA, RNA, proteins, and other molecules interact to make cells function.

Creating and propagating cells that carry a chosen recombinant DNA construct.

The specific molecular steps that explain how a biological process works.

Two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

A small molecule that can join with others to form a larger polymer or macromolecule.

Messenger RNA: a copy of a gene that carries instructions to the ribosome.

A stable change in a DNA sequence.

The process by which heritable traits that improve survival or reproduction tend to become more common.

A mutation that changes a codon into a stop signal, often shortening the resulting protein.

The double membrane that surrounds the nucleus in eukaryotic cells.

A protein-lined opening in the nuclear envelope that regulates traffic into and out of the nucleus.

The region in a prokaryotic cell where the chromosome is concentrated.

A region inside the nucleus where ribosome components are assembled.

A building block of DNA or RNA made of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base.

The membrane-bound compartment that holds a eukaryotic cell's DNA.

A specialized structure within a cell that contributes to a particular cellular task.

The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Polymerase chain reaction: a method to copy a specific DNA segment millions of times.

A family chart used to track the inheritance of a trait across generations.

The observable characteristics produced by an organism's genes and environment.

A two-layered membrane made of phospholipids that forms the basis of cell membranes.

The selectively permeable membrane that surrounds a cell and controls what enters and leaves.

A small circular DNA molecule that can replicate independently and often serves as a cloning vector.

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area and interbreeding.

A chemical change made to a protein after its amino-acid chain is produced.

A short DNA sequence that gives DNA polymerase a starting point during PCR.

A cell or organism whose cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus.

A region of DNA where RNA polymerase binds to start transcription.

A large protein complex that breaks down many proteins marked for degradation.

A folded chain of amino acids that performs structural, regulatory, or catalytic work.

An assembly of proteins, and sometimes other molecules, that work together.

The controlled breakdown of proteins inside a cell.

The process by which a protein chain adopts its functional three-dimensional shape.

The movement of proteins to the places in or outside a cell where they are needed.

The overall shape formed when multiple protein subunits assemble into one functional complex.

A molecule that binds a specific signal and helps trigger a cellular response.

A DNA molecule assembled from pieces that did not originally occur together.

The exchange or reshuffling of DNA segments that can create new combinations of genetic information.

DNA sequences that influence when, where, or how strongly a gene is used.

The level of detail that an imaging method can distinguish.

An enzyme that recognizes specific DNA sequences and cuts the DNA at or near those sites.

The molecular machine that reads mRNA and builds proteins from amino acids.

Ribonucleic acid: a single-stranded molecule used to carry and translate genetic information.

The enzyme that reads a DNA template and builds a new RNA strand.

The process by which a cell packages and releases materials to the outside or to another compartment.

A way to enrich for cells that carry a desired DNA construct or trait.

A chromosome involved in determining biological sex, such as X or Y in humans.

A DNA change that does not alter the amino acid sequence of the resulting protein.

A body cell that does not give rise to eggs or sperm.

The arrangement and shape of a biological molecule or cellular component.

A mutation in which one DNA base is replaced by another.

The molecule that an enzyme acts on during a chemical reaction.

The design, construction, and testing of biological parts, circuits, or systems using engineering approaches.

The DNA strand that RNA polymerase reads to build a complementary RNA molecule.

A group of similar cells working together to perform a shared function.

The process of copying a gene from DNA into messenger RNA.

A protein that helps control when a gene is transcribed.

The process of introducing foreign DNA into a cell, especially a bacterium.

The process by which a ribosome builds a protein from an mRNA sequence.

Transfer RNA: an RNA molecule that brings amino acids to the ribosome during translation.

A small protein tag that can help direct other proteins toward regulated processing or degradation.

The RNA base that pairs with adenine and takes the place of thymine.

The process of checking whether a method, result, or model is accurate or reliable.

A DNA vehicle, such as a plasmid, used to carry a chosen DNA sequence into host cells.

A small membrane-bound sac used to move or store materials within and between cells.

Describing a gene or trait associated with the X chromosome.