Glossary of biologyThis glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms. It is intended as introductory material for novices; for more specific and technical definitions from sub-disciplines and related fields, see Glossary of cell biology, Glossary of genetics, Glossary of evolutionary biology, Glossary of ecology, Glossary of environmental science and Glossary of scientific naming, or any of the organism-specific glossaries in .
Gene knockdownGene knockdown is an experimental technique by which the expression of one or more of an organism's genes is reduced. The reduction can occur either through genetic modification or by treatment with a reagent such as a short DNA or RNA oligonucleotide that has a sequence complementary to either gene or an mRNA transcript. If a DNA of an organism is genetically modified, the resulting organism is called a "knockdown organism.
Insertional mutagenesisIn molecular biology, insertional mutagenesis is the creation of mutations in DNA by the addition of one or more base pairs. Such insertional mutations can occur naturally, mediated by viruses or transposons, or can be artificially created for research purposes in the lab. Signature-tagged mutagenesis This is a technique used to study the function of genes. A transposon such as the P element of Drosophila melanogaster is allowed to integrate at random locations in the genome of the organism being studied.
Histone acetylation and deacetylationHistone acetylation and deacetylation are the processes by which the lysine residues within the N-terminal tail protruding from the histone core of the nucleosome are acetylated and deacetylated as part of gene regulation. Histone acetylation and deacetylation are essential parts of gene regulation. These reactions are typically catalysed by enzymes with "histone acetyltransferase" (HAT) or "histone deacetylase" (HDAC) activity. Acetylation is the process where an acetyl functional group is transferred from one molecule (in this case, acetyl coenzyme A) to another.
HedgehogHedgehog (en français : hérisson), est une protéine. Elle est présente chez les invertébrés (c'est une protéine de polarité segmentaire, impliquée dans le contrôle des patrons de développement embryonnaire). Il y a 3 gènes homologue du gène Hedgehog chez les vertébrés. La voie de signalisation de Hegdehog est complexe et fait intervenir plusieurs autres protéines. Patched et Wingless, notamment, sont aussi nécessaires à la segmentation et à la différenciation et permettent la régulation de l’expression de Hedgehog.
