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a Related Biological Terms:

aldimine form

(see quinimine form)

aldol condensation

The reversible formation of a bond between two carbons, one of a carbonyl group and the other adjacent to a second carbonyl group; by extension, a condensation of compounds that share that kind of chemistry, e.g. the citrate synthase reaction.

aliquot

A representative sample of a fixed proportion. Thus 50 µl from a 25 ml solution represents 1/500 of the total.

alkaline Bohr effect

(see Bohr effect)

all-or-none assay

A technique to measure the total amount of a functional enzyme, regardless of its efficiency or affinity for its substrate.

allele

An allele is one of the alternative forms or versions of a gene that can exist at a specific genetic locus (location) on a chromosome. Alleles are variations in the DNA sequence of a gene, and they can lead to differences in the traits or characteristics of an organism. Key points about alleles include: 1. Gene Variants: Each gene in an organism's genome can have multiple alleles. These alleles may vary in terms of their DNA sequence, and they can lead to different forms of a particular trait. For example, there are different alleles for the gene that determines blood type in humans (A, B, O). 2. Homozygous and Heterozygous: An individual can have either two identical alleles at a specific genetic locus (homozygous) or two different alleles (heterozygous). For example, if an individual has two "A" alleles for a gene, they are homozygous for that gene. If they have one "A" and one "B" allele, they are heterozygous. 3. Dominant and Recessive: Some alleles are dominant, meaning that their trait is expressed when present in a heterozygous individual. Others are recessive, and their trait is only expressed when an individual is homozygous for that allele. 4. Phenotype: The combination of alleles an individual has at a specific gene locus determines their phenotype, which is the observable physical or functional expression of the trait associated with that gene. 5. Mendelian Genetics: Alleles play a central role in Mendelian genetics, which describes how traits are inherited from one generation to the next. The genotype of an individual, which represents their allele combinations, determines their potential phenotypes and the traits they can pass on to their offspring. 6. Multiple Alleles: Some genes have more than two alleles at a given locus. For example, the human HLA system, which is involved in immune responses, has many different alleles. Alleles are fundamental to understanding inheritance, genetic diversity, and the variations in traits observed in populations. They are at the heart of genetics and heredity, and their interactions determine the genetic makeup and characteristics of individuals.

allele-specific PCR

(see PCR amplification of specific alleles)

allele-specific PCR (ASPCR)

The adaptation of a PCR primer to selectivity for only one variant sequence. The 3'-end of the primer is designed to be complementary to only one allelic sequence, so the appearance of a PCR fragment is indicative of the presence of the variant sequence.Ugozzoli, L. and Wallace, R.B. (1991) Methods Companion Methods Enzymol. 2, 42-48 Related tool: real time pcr

allele-specific amplification

(see PCR amplification of specific alleles)

allelic exclusion

(see imprinting)

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