DNA supercoiling refers to the coiling of the DNA double helix upon itself, which results in a higher-order structure beyond the standard helical form. This phenomenon occurs because DNA is a long molecule and needs to be compactly organized within cells, especially in prokaryotes, where the DNA often exists as a circular chromosome.
Fast endophilin-mediated endocytosis (FEME) is a rapid cellular process by which cells internalize membrane proteins and lipids. This mechanism is characterized by the involvement of the protein endophilin, which plays a crucial role in the formation of endocytic vesicles. FEME is distinguished from other forms of endocytosis by its speed and specific requirements.
An "indel" is a term used in genetics to refer to a type of genetic mutation that involves the insertion or deletion of nucleotide bases in a DNA sequence. The word "indel" is a portmanteau of “insertion” and “deletion.” Indels can vary in size, ranging from a single nucleotide to larger segments of DNA. They can have significant effects on gene function and protein production, potentially leading to various genetic disorders or diseases.
Epigenetic regulation of transposable elements (TEs) in the plant kingdom refers to the mechanisms that control the activity, expression, and structural integrity of TEs through epigenetic modifications. TEs are DNA sequences that can change their position within a genome and have the potential to disrupt genes or regulatory regions, potentially leading to mutations and variability. In plants, the regulation of these elements is crucial for maintaining genome stability and proper gene expression.
Eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) is a crucial protein complex involved in the initiation of translation in eukaryotic cells. It plays a significant role in the process by which ribosomes are recruited to mRNA, facilitating the translation of the genetic code into proteins.
Gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids is a laboratory technique used to separate and analyze DNA or RNA fragments based on their size and charge. This method utilizes an electric field to move nucleic acids through a gel matrix, typically composed of agarose or polyacrylamide, which acts as a sieve.
Fibrous proteins are a category of proteins characterized by their elongated, thread-like structures. They play crucial roles in providing structural support, strength, and stability to various biological systems. Unlike globular proteins, which tend to be soluble and have complex, three-dimensional shapes, fibrous proteins are usually insoluble in water and have a more straightforward, linear arrangement. Key features of fibrous proteins include: 1. **Structure**: They have repetitive amino acid sequences and typically form long, fibrous chains.
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large family of membrane proteins that play a critical role in cellular signaling. These receptors are characterized by their ability to pass through the cell membrane seven times (hence they are also known as seven-transmembrane receptors). GPCRs respond to a variety of external signals, including hormones, neurotransmitters, and environmental stimuli, and are involved in many physiological processes.
Gel electrophoresis of proteins is a laboratory technique used to separate and analyze proteins based on their size, charge, and other physical properties. It involves the movement of charged molecules through a gel matrix under the influence of an electric field. Here are the key components and steps involved in the process: ### Key Components: 1. **Gel Matrix**: Typically made from agarose or polyacrylamide, the gel serves as a medium through which proteins can migrate.
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism—be it a plant, animal, or microorganism—that has been altered in a laboratory using biotechnology techniques, particularly genetic engineering. This process involves the manipulation of an organism’s genetic material (DNA) to achieve desired traits or characteristics.
Hox genes are a group of related genes that play a crucial role in the developmental processes of many organisms, including amphibians and reptiles. These genes are part of a larger family known as homeobox genes, which encode for proteins that function as transcription factors regulating the expression of other genes involved in development. ### Function of Hox Genes: 1. **Body Plan Organization:** Hox genes are responsible for the anterior-posterior (head-to-tail) patterning of the embryo.
The histone octamer is a critical protein complex in the structure of eukaryotic chromatin, which is the material that makes up chromosomes. The octamer is formed by the association of eight histone proteins: two copies each of four core histones, which are H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. These histones are rich in positively charged amino acids, which helps them bind to the negatively charged DNA.
Host-cell reactivation (HCR) is a cellular mechanism that allows for the repair and recovery of damaged DNA within cells, particularly in response to DNA damage that occurs during the replication of viruses or following exposure to certain stressors, such as UV radiation or chemical agents. The basic tenet of host-cell reactivation involves the uptake of viral DNA that has been damaged and its subsequent repair by the host cell's repair machinery. It highlights the interplay between viral infections and host cellular processes.
Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) are a type of non-LTR (long terminal repeat) retrotransposon found in the genomes of many eukaryotic organisms, including humans. They are a class of transposable elements that can copy and insert themselves into different locations in the genome, thereby contributing to genomic diversity and evolution.
In molecular biology, an inverted repeat refers to a specific sequence of nucleotides (the building blocks of DNA) that is repeated in reverse order. In other words, an inverted repeat consists of a sequence followed by the reverse complement of that same sequence.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 4. Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation.Figure 5. Web editor. You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.Video 4. OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo. Source. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact





