KINETOPLAST DNA Meaning and
Definition
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Kinetoplast DNA refers to a specialized type of DNA found within the mitochondria of certain unicellular organisms. It is characterized by a distinct structure known as the kinetoplast, which is a densely packed mass of circular DNA molecules. The kinetoplast DNA is mainly observed in trypanosomatids, a group of parasitic protozoa that cause various diseases in humans and animals, including Chagas disease and African sleeping sickness.
The kinetoplast DNA is essential for the survival and function of these organisms as it contains the genetic information required for the synthesis of vital mitochondrial proteins. Unlike the nuclear DNA found in the cell's nucleus, the kinetoplast DNA is unique in terms of its organization, replication, and gene expression. It contains both coding and non-coding regions and exhibits a high degree of complexity.
The distinctive structure of kinetoplast DNA is due to the presence of numerous concatenated minicircles and maxicircles, which are covalently linked to form a network of DNA strands. The minicircles typically encode small guide RNAs that are responsible for editing the primary transcripts produced from the maxicircles. This unique editing process involves the deletion and insertion of uridine residues to alter the coding sequence of the primary transcripts, resulting in functional mitochondrial mRNAs.
In summary, kinetoplast DNA is a specialized form of DNA found within the mitochondria of trypanosomatid parasites. Its unique structure and function play a critical role in the survival and pathogenicity of these organisms.
Common Misspellings for KINETOPLAST DNA
- jinetoplast dna
- minetoplast dna
- linetoplast dna
- oinetoplast dna
- iinetoplast dna
- kunetoplast dna
- kjnetoplast dna
- kknetoplast dna
- konetoplast dna
- k9netoplast dna
- k8netoplast dna
- kibetoplast dna
- kimetoplast dna
- kijetoplast dna
- kihetoplast dna
- kinwtoplast dna
- kinstoplast dna
- kindtoplast dna
- kinrtoplast dna
- kin4toplast dna
Etymology of KINETOPLAST DNA
The word "Kinetoplast DNA" combines two terms: "kinetoplast" and "DNA".
1. Kinetoplast: The term "kinetoplast" was coined by Carlos Chagas, a Brazilian physician and scientist, in 1909. Chagas discovered unique structures in the cells of a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease. These structures were found in the mitochondria, an organelle responsible for energy production in cells. The kinetoplast is a specialized region within the mitochondria of certain protozoan parasites that contains extra DNA, known as the kinetoplast DNA (kDNA). The term "kinetoplast" comes from the Greek words "kinetos" meaning "moving" and "plastos" meaning "molded".
2. DNA: DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic material present in almost all living organisms.
