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a Related Biological Terms:

conformation

For a compound or macromolecule that has at least limited freedom of rotation about its chemical bonds, one alternative arrangement in space of its constituent atoms and groups. (see also configuration; tertiary structure)

conformational change

The adjustment of a protein's tertiary structure in response to external factors (e.g. pH, temperature, solute concentration) or to binding of a ligand.

conformational hypothesis

An explanation for oxidative phosphorylation that proposes that electron transport builds up a store of energy in the distorted shape of the mitochondrial inner membrane, the relaxation of which is coupled with phosphorylation of ADP. (see also chemical coupling hypothesis; chemiosmotic theory) Related tool: molecular biology tools

conjugation

In organic chemistry, the interaction of double or triple bonds or aromatic groups, separated by a single bond, which delocalizes their non-bonding electrons; e.g. -CH=CH-CH=CH-, -CH=CH-CH=O. In molecular biology, conjugation is the transfer of DNA between cells, usually bacteria, by cell-to-cell contact. (see also transduction; transformation) Related tool: molecular biology tools

conservation

In molecular biology, the preservation through time of some bases in the polynucleotide sequence of an evolving gene or of some amino acids in the sequence of an evolving protein.

conservative mutation

Such a mutation results in an amino acid substitution that preserves an essential chemical characteristic of the original, e.g. a leucine for an isoleucine, an aspartate for a glutamate, a lysine for an arginine.

conservative site-specific recombination (CSSR)

The inversion or excision of a DNA sequence or the integration of a foreign DNA sequence into a homologous genomic site. These all require homologous recombination at the sites of inversion, excision or integration, and contrast with transposition, in which a DNA sequence is inserted or removed from a non-homologous site by excision of the donor sequence from its source, cutting open the acceptor site, and insertion of the transposed sequence and its ligation in place.Polard, P. and Chandler, M. (1995) Mol. Microbiol. 15, 13-23 Recommended reading: next generation sequencing

constant region

The part of the amino acid sequence of any one immunoglobulin that is the same for all immunoglobulins of its class. (see also hypervariable region; variable region)

contact inhibition

The cessation of division that occurs when cells in culture reach confluence and establish gap junctions with neighbouring cells.

contact number

A measure of the location of an amino acid residue in a protein molecule; the number of α-carbons, excluding those of the adjacent residues in the linear sequence, within an 8 Å radius of the α-carbon of any given residue; this varies from 0 for residues on a protein's surface to about 15 for those in the interior. Because there is a higher proportion of internal to external residues in larger globular proteins, the values can be normalized by calculation of a relative contact number, i.e. the difference between the average contact number for all residues of a protein and that of any given residue, which varies between -5 and +5. Related service: cell line development

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