Biotechnology

Biotransformation (of a biosynthesized
product) See
POSTTRANSLATIONAL MODIFICA-
TION OF PROTEIN
.
Biotransformation (of an introduced com-
pound) Biological portion of definition of
persistence. See also 
PERSISTENCE
.
bla Gene A gene that confers resistance to
β-lactam (beta-lactam) antibiotics (e.g.,
ampicillin). See also 
GENE
,
BETA
-
LACTAM
ANTIBIOTICS
,
MARKER
 (
GENETIC MARKER
).
Black-layered (corn) An indicator of a corn
plant’s maturity. It refers to a distinctive dark
line that forms in each corn kernel at matu-
rity. See also 
CORN
.
Black-lined (corn) See
BLACK
-
LAYERED
 (
CORN
).
Blast Cell A large, rapidly dividing cell that
develops from a B cell (B lymphocyte) in
response to an antigenic stimulus. The blast
cell then becomes an antibody-producing
plasma cell. See also 
ANTIGEN
,
ANTIBODY
,
B LYMPHOCYTES
,
LYMPHOCYTE
.
Blast Transformation The process through
which a B cell (B lymphocyte) becomes a
blast cell. See also 
ANTIBODY
,
LYMPHOCYTE
,
BLAST CELL
.
Blood Clotting See
FIBRIN
.
Blood Derivatives Manufacturing Associa-
tion A trade organization of firms involved
in producing pharmaceuticals from collected
blood. See also 
SERUM
,
BUFFY COAT
  (
CELLS
),
SEROLOGY
.
Blood Plasma See
PLASMA
.
Blood Platelets See
PLATELETS
.
Blood Serum See
SERUM
.
Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) The specialized
layer of endothelial cells that line all blood
vessels in the brain. The BBB prevents most
organisms (e.g., bacteria) and toxins from
entering the brain via the bloodstream while
allowing the passage of oxygen and needed
nutrients (iron, glucose, tryptophan, etc.).
For example, receptors that line BBB cell
surfaces (on the bloodstream side of the
BBB) “latch onto” transferrin molecules
(which contain iron molecules) as those
transferrin molecules pass by in the blood-
stream. These transferrin receptors first bind
to the (passing) transferrin molecules, trans-
port them through the BBB via a process
called vaginosis, then release them (in order
to supply needed iron to the brain cells).
Factors such as aging, trauma, stroke, mul-
tiple sclerosis, and some infections will
cause an increase in the permeability of the
BBB. See also 
ENDOTHELIAL CELLS
,
TOXIN
,
TRANSFERRIN
,
TRANSFERRIN RECEPTOR
,
CHELAT-
ING AGENT
,
GLUCOSE
,
RECEPTORS
,
VAGINOSIS
,
HEME
,
BACTERIA
,
TRYPTOPHAN
 (
trp
),
SEROTONIN
.
Blunt-End DNA A segment of DNA that has
both strands terminating at the same base-
pair location, that is, fully base-paired DNA.
No sticky ends. See also 
STICKY ENDS
.
Blunt-End Ligation A method of joining
blunt-ended DNA fragments using the
enzyme T4 ligase, which can join fully base-
paired, double-stranded DNA. See also
LIGASE
,
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
  (
DNA
),
BASE
PAIR
 (
bp
),
BLUNT
-
END DNA
.
BLUP See
BEST LINEAR UNBIASED PREDICTION
(
BLUP
).
BOD See
BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
 (
BOD
).
Boletic Acid See
FUMARIC ACID
 (
C
4
H
4
O
4
).
© 2002 by CRC Press LLC

B
Bollworms See
HELIOTHIS VIRESCENS
  (
H
.
VIRE-
SCENS
),
HELICOVERPA ZEA
 (
H
.
ZEA
),
PECTINOPHORA
GOSSYPIELLA
,
B
.
t
.
KURSTAKI
.
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMP) A fam-
ily of proteinaceous growth factors (nine
identified as of 1994) for bone tissue forma-
tion (e.g., at the site where a bone has been
broken). BMPs stimulate a “recruitment” of
bone-forming cells (to the site of bone
injury) which first form cartilage, then min-
eralize that cartilage to form bone. See also
GROWTH FACTOR
,
PERIODONTIUM
,
PROTEIN
.
Bovine Somatotropin (BST) A l s o   c a l l e d
bovine growth hormone. A protein hormone,
produced in a cow’s pituitary gland, that
increases the efficiency of the cow in con-
verting its feed into milk. Increases milk pro-
duction, and promotes cell growth in healing
tissues of all ages of cattle. Promotes body
growth of young cattle. See also 
PROTEIN
,
GROWTH HORMONE
 (
GH
),
HORMONE
,
SOMATOME-
DINS
,
SPECIES SPECIFIC
.
Bowman-Birk Trypsin Inhibitor See
TRYPSIN
INHIBITORS
.
bp Common abbreviation for base pair. See
also
BASE PAIR
 (
bp
).
Brassica A fast-growing category of the mus-
tard plant family, which also produces sul-
fur-based gases (a natural defense against
certain fungi, nematodes, and insect pests).
For example, Australian CSIRO scientists
discovered in 1994 that sulfur-based isothio-
cyanates emitted by Brassica actively com-
bat Wheat Take-All Disease (a fungal
disease that attacks the roots of the wheat
plant). See also 
ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA
,
WHEAT
,
WHEAT TAKE
-
ALL DISEASE
,
CANOLA
,
ALLELOPATHY
,
FUNGUS
,
NEMATODES
.
Brassica campestre See
BRASSICA
.
Brassica campestris See
CANOLA
,
BRASSICA
.
Brassica napus See
CANOLA
,
BRASSICA
.
BRCA Genes Oncogenes that, when mutated,
can cause development of breast cancer or
ovarian cancer. All humans possess BRCA
genes of one sort or another (the acronym
BRCA stands for breast cancer). However,
the two specific BRCA genes most likely to
lead to breast cancer (BRCA 1 and BRCA 2)
are present in only two percent of women
who are of Northern European ancestry,
most Caucasian women in the U.S., and
Askenazi Jews whose ancesters are from
Central and Eastern Europe. Those women
possessing the BRCA 1 gene in their genome
(DNA) have a 20–40% chance of developing
ovarian cancer (and a 50–85% chance of
developing breast cancer) in their lifetime.
Those women possessing the BRCA 2 gene
in their genome (DNA) have a 15–20%
chance of developing ovarian cancer (and a
55–85% chance of developing breast cancer)
in their lifetimes. See also 
GENE
,
MUTATION
,
CANCER
,
ONCOGENES
,
HER
2
GENE
.
BRCA 1 Gene See
BRCA GENES
.
BRCA 2 Gene See
BRCA GENES
.
Breeder’s Rights See
PLANT BREEDER
’
S RIGHTS
.
Bright Greenish-Yellow Fluorescence
(BGYF) An indication of the presence of
fungus (e.g., in a sample of grain), when light
of an appropriate wavelength is shone on
sample. For example, when the fungus
Aspergillus flavus infects cottonseed during
boll development on the cotton plant, the
resultant seed (when harvested) shows BGYF
on its lint and linters. That fungus gains entry
into the bolls typically via holes made by the
pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella).
See also 
MYCOTOXINS
,
AFLATOXIN
,
FUNGUS
,
PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA
,
FLUORESCENCE
.
Broad Spectrum See
GRAM STAIN
.
Bromoxynil An active ingredient in some her-
bicides, it kills certain types of plants
(weeds). See also 
NITRILASE
.
Broth A fluid culture medium (for growing
microorganisms). See also 
MEDIUM
,
CULTURE
MEDIUM
.
Brown Stem Rot (BSR) A plant disease that
can be caused by the soilborne fungus
Phialaphora gregata in the soybean plant
(Glycine max L. Merrill). Some soybean
varieties are genetically resistant to BSR.
See also 
FUNGUS
,
SOYBEAN PLANT
,
GENOTYPE
,
GENE
,
PATHOGENIC
.
BSE Bovine spongiform encephalopathy. A
neurodegenerative disease of cattle. See also
PRION
.
BSP Biosafety protocol. See also 
CONVENTION
ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
 (
CBD
).
BSR See
BROWN STEM ROT
 (
BSR
).
BST See
BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN
 (
BST
).
BtR-4 Gene See
TOXICOGENOMICS
.
B.t. See
BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS
 (
B
.
t
.).
© 2002 by CRC Press LLC

B
B.t.k. See
B
.
t
.
KURSTAKI
.
B.t. israelensis One of the approximately 30
subspecies groupings within the approxi-
mately 20,000 different strains of the soil
bacteria known (collectively) as Bacillus
thuringiensis (B.t.). When eaten (e.g., due to
presence on food), the protoxin proteins pro-
duced by B.t. israelensis are toxic to mos-
quitoes and black fly (Diptera) larvae. See
also
BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS
  (
B
.
t
.),
PROTOXIN
,
ION CHANNELS
.
B.t. kurstaki One of the approximately 30
subspecies groupings within the approxi-
mately 20,000 different strains of the soil
bacteria known (collectively) as Bacillus
thuringiensis (B.t.). When eaten (e.g., as part
of a genetically engineered plant), the pro-
toxin proteins produced by B.t. kurstaki are
toxic to certain caterpillars (Lepidoptera
larvae), such as the European corn borer
(pyralis). See also 
BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS
(
B
.
t
.),
PROTOXIN
,
CRY
1
A
 (
b
)
PROTEIN
,
ION CHAN-
NELS
,
EUROPEAN CORN BORER
 (
ECB
).
B.t. tenebrionis One of the approximately 30
subspecies groupings within the approxi-
mately 20,000 different strains of the soil
bacteria known (collectively) as Bacillus
thuringiensis (B.t.). When eaten (e.g., as part
of a genetically engineered plant), the pro-
toxin proteins produced by B.t. tenebrionis
are toxic to certain insects. See also 
BACILLUS
THURINGIENSIS
  (
B
.
t
.),
PROTOXIN
,
GENETIC ENGI-
NEERING
,
ION CHANNELS
.
B.t. tolworthi One of the approximately 30
subspecies groupings within the approxi-
mately 20,000 different strains of the soil
bacteria known (collectively) as Bacillus
thuringiensis (B.t.). When eaten (e.g., as part
of a genetically engineered crop plant), the
protoxin proteins produced by B.t. tolworthi
are toxic to certain caterpillars (Lepidoptera
larvae), such as the European corn borer
(pyralis). See also 
BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS
(
B
.
t
.),
PROTOXIN
,
CRY
9
C PROTEIN
,
GENETIC ENGI-
NEERING
,
ION CHANNELS
.
Buffy Coat (cells) The layer of white blood
cells (leukocytes) that separates out when
blood is subjected to centrifugation. See also
ULTRACENTRIFUGE
,
LEUKOCYTES
,
PLASMA
,
BLOOD
DERIVATIVES MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION
.
Bundesgesundheitsamt (BGA) German Fed-
eral Health Organization. The German gov-
ernment agency that must approve new
pharmaceutical products for sale within Ger-
many, it is the equivalent of the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). See also 
FOOD
AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
  (
FDA
),
KOSEISHO
,
COMMITTEE FOR PROPRIETARY MEDICINAL PROD-
UCTS
 (
CPMP
),
COMMITTEE ON SAFETY IN MEDICINES
,
MEDICINES CONTROL AGENCY
  (
MCA
),
EUROPEAN
MEDICINES EVALUATION AGENCY
 (
EMEA
).
BXN Gene See
NITRILASE
.
© 2002 by CRC Press LLC

0-8493-XXXX-X/01/$0.00+$1.50
© 2001 by CRC Press LLC
C
C
C. elegans See
CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS
.
C Value The total amount of DNA in a haploid
genome. See also 
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
(
DNA
),
HAPLOID
,
GENOME
.
C-DNA Also known as copy DNA. A helical
form of DNA, it occurs when DNA fibers
are maintained in 66% relative humidity in
the presence of lithium ions. It has fewer
base pairs per turn than B-DNA. See also
B-DNA
,
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
  (
DNA
),
BASE
PAIR
 (
bp
),
COMPLEMENTARY DNA
 (
c
DNA
).
Cadherins A class of (cell surface) adhesion
molecules that causes cells (e.g., in the lining
of the intestine known as the epithelium) to
“stick together” to form a continuous lining;
cadherins sometimes function as cellular
adhesion receptors. For example, the (food
poisoning) pathogenic bacteria Listeria
monocytogenes is able to infect humans via
its use of the E-cadherin receptor located on
the surface of intestinal epithelium cells. That
bacteria’s “key” (a bacterial membrane sur-
face protein known as internaulin) is
“inserted” into the E-cadherin (“lock”), which
opens up the otherwise closed-to-bacteria
intestinal epithelium. The L. monocytogenes
bacteria then leave the intestine and infect
the human body tissues. See also 
ADHESION
M O L E C U L E
,
C E L L
,
R E C E P T O R S
,
L I S T E R I A
MONOCYTOGENES
,
EPITHELIUM
.
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) The name
of a nematode (microscopic roundworm)
that is commonly utilized by scientists in
genetics experiments. Because of this, a
large base of knowledge about C. elegans
genetics has been accumulated by the
world’s scientific community. For example,
of the nearly 300 “disease-causing genes” in
the human genome, more than half of them
have an analogous gene within the
C. elegans genome. C. elegans was one of
the first animals to have its entire genome
sequenced by man. Thus, one of the meth-
odologies utilized by researchers to rapidly
screen large numbers of chemical com-
pounds for their potential use as pharmaceu-
ticals is to:
Expose large numbers of C. elegans to the
various chemical compounds that the
researcher wants to investigate for
potential pharmaceutical activity.
Pass those large numbers of previously
exposed  C. elegans, suspended in liq-
uid such as water, through a small
transparent chamber where a focused
laser beam is shone upon the round-
worm’s side (for its full length, as the
roundworm passes by).
Utilize expression-of-fluorescent-protein,
autofluorescence, lectin (in the fluid)
binding detected via laser reflectance,
antibody (in the fluid) binding detected
via laser reflectance, etc. as the basis
for individual C. elegans to be “sorted”
via tiny jets of air that blow into a con-
tainer those C. elegans that show thus
visible sign(s) of having been changed
by the particular chemical compound
to which they were exposed.
Evaluate in detail (e.g., via conventional
gene expression analysis) the specific
impact of that particular chemical com-
pound on those C. elegans that had indi-
cated an apparent change, so were sorted
into the “likely target” receptacle.
See also 
NEMATODES
,
GENETICS
,
GENE
,
GENOME
,
GENE EXPRESSION
,
GENE EXPRESSION MARKERS
,
EXPRESSED SEQUENCE TAGS
  (
EST
),
SEQUENCING
© 2002 by CRC Press LLC

C
(
OF DNA MOLECULES
),
HIGH
-
THROUGHPUT
SCREENING
  (
HTS
),
HIGH
-
THROUGHPUT IDENTIFI-
CATION
,
GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSIS
,
TARGET
-
LIGAND INTERACTION SCREENING
,
TARGET
 (
OF A
THERAPEUTIC AGENT
),
FLUORESCENCE
,
LECTINS
,
MODEL ORGANISM
.
Caffeine A chemical naturally produced in
some plants (e.g., coffee tree) to repel pred-
atory insects. It also acts as a stimulant
(when consumed by humans), so is classified
as a phytochemical. Research done by Sey-
mour Diamond during 2000 showed that
within the human body, caffeine consump-
tion causes interactions with the synthetic
chemical painkiller known as Ibuprofen.
Consuming both together was shown to be
more effective in relieving pain than con-
suming Ibuprofen alone, and brought pain
relief faster than consumption of Ibuprofen
alone. See also 
PHYTOCHEMICALS
.
Calcium Channel-Blockers Drugs (e.g., ver-
apamil, amlopidine, diltiazem, nifedipine)
used to slow down calcium movement
through cell membranes. This leads to dila-
tion of the blood vessels and reduces the
heart’s workload. Blood vessels need cal-
cium to contract (causing flow constriction
and hence an increase in blood pressure), so
the drug-induced shortage of available cal-
cium causes the body’s blood vessels to
remain dilated (which results in lower blood
pressure). Research in 1996 indicated the
possibility that certain types of calcium
channel-blockers might lead to increased
rates of some cancers. If so, this is likely due
to the drug preventing enough calcium avail-
ability for normal apoptosis in body cells.
See also 
CELL
,
ION CHANNELS
,
CANCER
,
MEM-
BRANE TRANSPORT
,
APOPTOSIS
.
Calcium Oxalate A crystalline salt normally
deposited in the cells of some species of
plants. In spinach, the presence of such
oxalate inhibits absorption of the calcium
(present in spinach) by humans. In many
animals, calcium oxalate is excreted in urine
or retained by the animal’s body in the form
of urinary calculi. See also 
ABSORPTION
,
OXALATE
,
CELL
.
Callipyge (means beautiful buttocks in Greek)
An inherited trait in livestock (e.g., sheep)
that results in thicker, meatier hind quarters.
First identified as a genetic trait in 1983, this
desirable trait results in a higher meat yield
per animal. See also 
TRAIT
,
GENOTYPE
,
PHENO-
TYPE
,
WILD TYPE
.
Callus An undifferentiated cluster of plant
cells that is a first step in regeneration of
plants from tissue culture. See also 
SOMA-
CLONAL VARIATION
.
Calorie The amount of heat (energy) required
to raise the temperature of one gram of water
from 14.5°C (58°F) to 15.5°C (60°F) at a
constant pressure of one standard atmo-
sphere. This unit measure of energy is also
frequently utilized to express the amount of
energy contained within certain foods or ani-
mal feeds. See also 
CARBOHYDRATES
 (
SACCHA-
RIDES
),
FATS
,
TME
(
N
).
Calpain-10 A gene that increases the likeli-
hood for development of diabetes disease in
humans whose DNA carries that gene
(approximately 80% of humans carry the
gene). See also 
DIABETES
,
INSULIN
,
INSULIN
-
DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITIS
  (
IDDM
),
GENE
,
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
 (
DNA
).
Campesterol A phytosterol produced within
the seeds of the soybean plant (Glycine max
L.), among others. Evidence shows human
consumption of campesterol helps reduce
total serum (blood) cholesterol and low-den-
sity lipoproteins (LDLP) levels, thereby low-
ering risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Evidence indicates certain phytosterols
(including campesterol) interfere with absorp-
tion of cholesterol by the intestines, and
decrease the body’s recovery and reuse of cho-
lesterol-containing bile salts; this causes more
(net) cholesterol to be excreted from the body.
See also 
PHYTOSTEROLS
,
PHYTOCHEMICALS
,
STEROLS
,
SOYBEAN PLANT
,
CHOLESTEROL
,
STIG-
MASTEROL
,
BETA
-
SITOSTEROL
  (
β
-
SITOSTEROL
),
CORONARY HEART DISEASE
 (
CHD
).
Campestrol See
CAMPESTEROL
.
Campsterol See
CAMPESTEROL
.
Camptothecins See
RUBITECAN
.
CaMV See
CAULIFLOWER MOSAIC VIRUS
35
S PRO-
MOTER
 (
C
a
MV
35
S
).
CaMV 35S See
CAULIFLOWER MOSAIC VIRUS
35
S
PROMOTER
 (
C
a
MV
35
S
).
Canavanine An uncommon amino acid. It is
used in biology as an arginine (another
amino acid) analogue. It is a potent growth
© 2002 by CRC Press LLC

C
inhibitor of many organisms. See also 
AMINO
ACID
,
BIOMIMETIC MATERIALS
.
Cancer The name given to a group of diseases
that are characterized by uncontrolled cellular
growth (e.g., formation of tumor) without any
differentiation of those cells (into specialized
and different tissues). See also 
CARCINOGEN
,
ONCOGENES
,
TUMOR
-
SUPPRESSOR GENES
,
TUMOR
,
TELOMERES
,
RETINOIDS
,
MUTAGEN
,
CELL
,
TELOM-
ERASE
,
NEOPLASTIC GROWTH
,
CHEMOTHERAPY
,
DIFFERENTIATION
,
ORAL CANCER
,
MYCOTOXINS
.