alkylation - The process in which electrophiles attack the negative charge centers on the phosphate or the partial negative charge on negative bases of a nucleotide, usually adding carbon-containing groups called alkyl groups.
carcinogens – Cancer-causing agents.
clastogen – Ionizing radiation that breaks chromosomes; is also referred to as a mutagen, or mutation-causing substance.
dimer (protein) – A complex of two polypeptides.
DNA photolyase – The enzyme responsible for photoreactivation repair of DNA damage.
electrophile – A substance that seeks the center of negative charge in other molecules and binds to them.
error-prone bypass – One of the mechanisms dealing with DNA damage that avoids the damaged area without replacing it.
excinuclease – A more general term for the enzyme system that catalyzes nucleotide excision repair.
excision repair – Mechanism that removes damaged bases by deleting the damaged DNA and replacing it with fresh DNA.
free radicals – Chemical substances with an unpaired electron.
gamma rays – Very high energy radiation that ionizes cellular components. The ions can then cause chromosome breaks.
microsatellites – Tandem repeats of 1- to 4-bp sequences in DNA.
mismatch repair – The correction of a mismatched base incorporated by accident – in spite of the editing system – into newly synthesized DNA.
photoreactivation – Mechanism of repair of damage to DNA using exposure to light to activate enzyme activity.
ultraviolet radiation – relatively low energy radiation found in sunlight. Causes thymine dimers in DNA.
X rays – High energy radiation that ionizes cellular components. The ions then can cause chromosome breaks.
feedback form |
permissions |
international |
locate your campus rep |
request a review copy
Copyright ©2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies.
digital solutions |
publish with us |
customer service |
mhhe home
Any use is subject to the
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of the
The McGraw-Hill Companies.