Acetobacter: A genus of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria of uncertain affiliation comprising ellipsoidal to rod-shaped cells as singles ,pairs, or chains;they oxide ethanol to acetic acid.

Airlift fermenter: vessel in which bioconversion process takes place, sparged gas being the only source of agitation.

Amino acid: An organic acid that contains an amino(-NH2) group;the building block(macromolecule) of protein.

Aneuploid:Cell or organism possessing a chromosome number other than the haploid number or an exact multiple of it.

Androgenesis: Development of plants from male gametophyte.

Anther culture : Culture of anthers(or pollen grains)on a suitable medium for production of callus or haploid plants.

Antibiotic: A chemical substance,produced by microorganisms and synthetically, that has the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of ,and even to destroy, bacteria and other microorgnisms.

Antibody : Protein produced in response to an antigen and capable of specifically binding with the antigen that stimulated its formation.

Antigen : Substance that stimulates an immune response when introduced into the body.

Attenuated vaccine : Whole pathogenic organism treated with chemical,radioactive, or other means to render it incapable of producing infection .

Autoradiograph : Photograph showing location of radioactivesubstances in cells or tissues,obtained by exposing photographic emulsion in dark to radioactive emissions from the preparation,followed by development of

Auxins :A group of hormones of plants which are synthesised by growing tips of stems and roots and regulate many aspects of plant growth e.g.IAA. Axillary : Developing in the axil of leaves.

Bacteriophages : Viruses that multiply in bacteria.

Base sequence : The specific order of purine and pyrimidine bases in polynucleotide.

Batch culture : A suspension culture in which cells grow in a finite volume of nutrient medium and follows a sigmoid pattern.

Batch processing : Method in which bioreactor, for example, is loaded with raw materials and mircroorganisms, and the process is tun to completion at which time products are removed.

Bioassay : Method of measuring the concentration or activity of a substance by determining its effect on a living organism.

Bioconversion : Usage of biocatalysts for chemical processes.

Biodegradable : Organic compounds that can be broken down by micro-organisms.

Biofertilization : Nutrient enrichment of soil as a result of microbial activity.

Bioreactor : Apparatus used for bioprocessing.

Biosynthesis : The formation of organic compounds by living organisms.

Biomass : Weight of organisms per unit area. In biotechnology the term biomass refers to cellulose used for the production of chemicals to be used for energy.

Callus : A tissue consisting of dedifferentiated cells generally produced as a result of tissue wounding or of culturing tissues in the presence of auxins in particular.

Cancer : Uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal host cells.

Cell culture : Culture of single cells or groups of similar cells.

Cell differentiation : The process where by descendants of a common parental cell achieve and maintain specialization of structure and function.

Clone : Individuals obtained from a single plant through asexual reproduction.

Cloning : Multiplication methods via clones.

Complementary DNA : DNA synthesised by reverse transcriptase from an RNA template.

Concatamer : DNA made up of repeated unit length DNAs.

Cosmid : A vector for carrying large DNA fragments into host cells.

Cultivar : A category of plants of the same species, but with a characteristic phenotype, generated through cultivation by man.

Culture medium : Nutrient material that supports cell growth.

Cybrid : Plant or cell which is a cytoplasmic hybrid produced by fusion of a protoplast and cytoplast.

Cytokinins : A group of hormones with stimulatory effect on divisions of plant cells e.g. kinetin and zeatin.

Cytoplast : Enucleated protoplst.

Denaturation : Alteration of material, usually protein, through heating or chemical treatment, so it loses its characteristic activity.

Differentiation : Modification in structure and function of the parts of an organism, owing to increase in specialization.

DNA probe : Sequence of DNA used to detect presence of particular nucleotide sequence.

DNA sequence : Order of nucleotide bases in DNA helix.

Electrophoresis : Separation of molecules based on their differing electrical charges.

Embryogenesis : A pathway of differentiation which is characterized by the formation of organised structures that resemble zygotic embryos.

Embryoids : Embryo-like structures produced as a consequence of differentiation processes such as embryogenesis and androgenesis.

Endonuclease : An enzyme that hydrolyses DNA by breaking bonds in the middle of the chain.

Enzyme : A protein which acts as catalyst to metabolic reactions.

Escherichia coli : A bacterium on which much genetic work has been done and which is a colon bacillus.

Eukaryotic : Refers to organism having membrane bound nuclei, genetic material organised into chromosomes and membrane bound cytoplasmic organelles.

Explant : A plant organ or piece of tissue used to initiate a tissue culture.

Fermentation : Decomposition occurring in organic compounds, usually carbohydrates, brought about by enzymes either directly or in microorganisms, resulting in the production of other compounds such as alcohol or lactic acid, often with heat and gases.

Gametoclonal variation : Variation observed among plants regenerated from gametic cultures.

Gene : Segment of a DNA molecule that contains information directing a cell to synthensize a specific protein product.

Gene library :Collection of DNA fragments (DNA, genomic (gene bank) DNA) which have been cloned in a vector.

Genetic engineering : The experimental manipulation of DNA (or RNA) of different species producing recombinant DNA, which indludes some genes from both species.

Genetic information : The information contained in a sequence of nucleotide base in a DNA ( or RNA) molecule.

Genome : Genome consists of all the chromosomes of a diploid species that are distinct from each other with respect to their gene content , and often morphology. Members of a genome do not pair.

Genotype : Genetic constitution of an organism.

Germplasm : Total genetic variability available to species.

Gram-negative : In the Gram stain, bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet dye after decolorization with alcohol.

Gram-positive : In the gram stain, bacteria that retain the crystal violet dye after decolorization witha alcohol.

Haploid : Having a set of unpaired chromosomes in each nucleus.

Heterokaryon : A cell in which two or more nuclei of unlike genetic makeup are present. Intron sequence of DNA interrupting the coding sequence of gene.

Homokaryon : Protoplast or cell with two, genetically identical nuclei, a product of somatic hybridisation. Hybrid : Offspring of two genetically-dissimilar parents.

Hybridoma : A method of creating pure and uniform antibodies against a specific antigen.

Immobilized enzyme or cell techniques : techniques used for fixation of enzymes or cells on to solid support, immobilized cells and enzymes are used in continuous bioprocessing in bioreactors and upstream or downstream processing of materials.

Immunization : Administation of antigen to animal or organism to stimulate production of antibodies by that organism, also administration of antigens, antibodies or lymphocytes to organism to produce corresponding active, passive or adoptive immunity.

Immunology : The science that deals with resistance to disease.

Interferon : Glycoprotein, important in immune function and thought to inhibit viral infections.

In vitro : ( Latin 'in glass') Any process carried out in sterile cultures.

In vivo : ( Latin 'in life') Any process occurring in whole organism.

Kilobase : A chain of nucleotides 1000 monomers in size.

Ligase : Enzyme used to join nucleic acid fragments together.

Meristem culture : Culture of apical meristems, particularly shoot apical meristem, for production of shoots and plantlets.

Messenger RNA(RNA) : RNA that serves as a template for protein synthesis.

Monoclonal antibodies : Those antibodies which are derived from a single source clone of cells and which recognise only one kind of antigen.

Morphogenesis : Developmental pathways in differentiation which result in the formation of recognised tissues.

Myeloma : Antibody-producing tumour cells.

Nick translation : A procedure for radiolabelling DNA in vitro.

Operon : A genetic unit consisting of a adjacent genes that function coordinately under the joint control of an operator and a repressor.

Organogenesis : Type of morphogenesis which results in the formation of roots, shoots and /or floral organs.

Penicillin : The collective name for salts of a series of antibiotic organic acids produced by a number of

Penicillium : A genus of fungi characterised by erect branching conidiophores having terminal tufts of club-shaped cells from which conidia are formed.

pH : A measure of the acidity of a substance, specifically, the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration.

Platelet : A small rooted shoot or germinated ember.

Plasmid : Small, circular piece of extrachromosomal DNA in bacteria. Some plasmids can integrate into a bacterial chromosome.

Prokaryotic :Refers to organisms in which the nuclear material in not enclosed in a nuclear envelope and the genetic material is not organised into chromosomes and which lack membrane bound cytoplasmic organelles e.g. blue green algae, bacteria.

Protoclonal variation: Variation observed among plants regenerated from protoplast cultures.

Protoplast : A cell which lacks a wall.

32P : A radioactive isotope of phosphorus which emits strong beta particles and has a half life of 14.3 days.

Recombinant DNA (rDNA) : Hybrid DNA produced by joining pieces of DNA from different organisms together in vitro.

Recombinant DNA technology : Use of recombinant DNA for specific purpose, such as formation of product and study of gene.

Restriction endonuclease : Enzyme that cleaves DNA at specific nucleotide sequences, often leaving single-stranded region ('sticky ends').

Restriction enzyme : Enzyme that cuts DNA at specific DNA sequence.

Reverse transcriptase : Enzyme that polymerizes a molecule of DNA using RNA as the template for determining sequence.

Single cell protein (SCP) : Cells, or protein extracts, of microorganisms grown in large quantities for use as human or animal protein supplements.

Somaclonal variation : Variation observed among plants regenerated from somatic cultures.

Somatic embryogenesis : Development of embryos from somatic cells in culture whose structure is to zygotic embryos found in seeds and with analogous embryonic organs such as cotyledons or cotyledonary leaves.

Somatic hybridization : A technique of fusing protoplasts from two contrasting genotypes for production of hybrids or cybrids which contain various mixtures of nuclear and / or cytoplasmic genomes, respectively. Splicing : A stage in RNA processing in which introns are removed and exons are joined to form a continuous coding sequence of RNA.

Stirred tank bioreactor : Agitated vessel in which bioprocess takes place, mixing is provided by mechanical action of impeller/agitator.

Synthetic seeds : Embryoids preserved in athin layer of calcium alginate.

Template : The macromolecular mold for the synthesis of another macromolecule.

Ti-plasmid : plasmid from agrobacetrium tumefacies, used as plant vector.

Tissue culture : culture of plant cells and tissues in vitro on artificial media.

Totipotency : Potentiality or property of a cell to produce a whole organism.

Transcription : A process involving base pairing whereby the genetic information contained in DNA is used to order a complementary sequence of bases in an RNA chain.

Transduction : The transfer of bacterial genes from one bacterium to another by a bacteriophage particle.

Transformation : The genetic modification induced by the incorporation into a cell of DNA purified from cells or viruses.

Transgenic organisms : A genetically manipulated organism containing in its genome one or more inserted genes of another species.

Translation : The process where the genetic information present in an RNA molecule directs the order of the specific amino acids during protein synthesis.

Vaccine : A preparation of a pathogenic micro-organism which is treated to destroy its virulence when introduce into the body, causing the body to produce antibodies and so conferring immunity.

Vector : An agent of transmission.

Viruses : Infectious disease causing agents, smaller than bacteria, which always require intact host cells for replication and which contain either DNA or RNA as their genetic component.