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| Bacillus |
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A rod-shaped bacterium.
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| Bacillus thuringiensis (B |
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A bacterium that kills insects; a major component of the microbial pesticide industry.
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| Backcross |
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Crossing an organism with one of its parent organisms.
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| Bacteriocide |
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A class of antibiotics that kills bacterial cells.
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| Bacteriophage (phage or p |
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A virus that in- fects bacteria. Altered forms are used as vectors for cloning DNA.
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| Bacteriostat |
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A class of antibiotics that prevents growth of bacterial cells.
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| Bacterium |
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A single-celled, microscopic prokaryotic organism: a single cell organism without a distinct nucleus.
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| Base pair (bp). |
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A pair of complementary nitrogenous bases in a DNA molecule--adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine. Also, the unit of measurement for DNA sequences.
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| beta-DNA |
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The normal form of DNA found in biological systems, which exists as a right-handed helix.
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| beta-Lactamase |
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Ampicillin resistance gene. (See Selectable marker.)
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| Bioaugmentation |
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Increasing the activity of bacteria that decompose pollutants; a technique used in bioremediation.
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| Biodiversity |
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The wide diversity and interrelatedness of earth organisms based on genetic and environmental factors.
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| Bioenrichment |
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Adding nutrients or oxygen to increase microbial breakdown of pollutants.
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| Biofilms |
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See Microbial mats.
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| Biologics |
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Agents, such as vaccines, that give immunity to diseases or harmful biotic stresses.
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| Biomass |
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The total dry weight of all organisms in a particular sample, population, or area.
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| Bioremediation |
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The use of microorganisms to remedy environmental problems. See Bioaugmentation, Bioenrichment.
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| Biotechnology |
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The scientific manipulation of living organ- isms, especially at the molecular genetic level, to produce useful products. Gene splicing and use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) are major techniques used.
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| Biotic stress |
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Living organisms which can harm plants , such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria, and harmful insects. See Abiotic stress.
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| Bt |
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See Bacillus thuringiensis.
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