C2 · 50 words
Molecular genetics in Spanish
Genome, transcription, regulation, mutation — how a sequence becomes a trait.
Our word for the short piece that starts a copy is « primer », from priming a pump. Spanish took a different picture for the same thing: el cebador, from cebar, and cebar is what you do to an animal you are fattening and to a hook you are baiting — el cebo is the bait. The verb runs through the language: cebar una bomba is to prime a pump, cebar el mate is to prepare the gourd in Argentina, and cebarse con alguien is to go at somebody without mercy. So the strand that gets a copy going is, in Spanish, the thing that baits the reaction.
The words
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Phrase (37)
la genética molecularthe study of heredity below the level of the chromosomePhraseC2
La genética molecular trabaja por debajo del cromosoma.Molecular genetics works below the chromosome.
la base nitrogenadathe part of the unit that pairs with its opposite numberPhraseC2
La base nitrogenada se empareja siempre con la misma.A nitrogenous base always pairs with the same partner.
el par de basesthe pair counted when a length is givenPhraseC2
El par de bases mide la longitud de una secuencia.The base pair measures the length of a sequence.
la doble hélicethe two strands wound around each otherPhraseC2
La doble hélice se abre para copiarse.The double helix opens in order to copy itself.
la hebra moldethe strand that is read in order to copy itPhraseC2
La hebra molde se lee en sentido inverso.The template strand is read in the opposite direction.
la replicación del ADNthe copying in which each new pair keeps one old strandPhraseC2
La replicación del ADN es semiconservativa.DNA replication is semiconservative.
la traducción del ARNthe making of a protein from that copyPhraseC2
La traducción del ARN ocurre en el ribosoma.Translation of the RNA happens at the ribosome.
el código genético degeneradothe fact that several triplets name the same amino acidPhraseC2
El código genético degenerado asigna varios codones a un mismo aminoácido.The degenerate genetic code assigns several codons to one amino acid.
el marco de lecturathe way the triplets are grouped, which one extra base destroysPhraseC2
El marco de lectura se pierde con una sola base de más.The reading frame is lost with a single extra base.
el intensificador génicothe stretch that raises the level from far awayPhraseC2
El intensificador génico puede estar muy lejos del gen.The enhancer can lie a long way from the gene.
el factor de transcripciónthe protein that binds a particular sequence to switch it onPhraseC2
El factor de transcripción se une a una secuencia concreta.The transcription factor binds to a particular sequence.
el corte y empalme alternativothe joining of the kept pieces in more than one orderPhraseC2
El corte y empalme alternativo saca varias proteínas de un gen.Alternative splicing gets several proteins out of one gene.
la expresión génicawhich stretches are being read, here and nowPhraseC2
La expresión génica cambia de tejido a tejido.Gene expression differs from tissue to tissue.
el silenciamiento génicothe switching off that leaves the sequence in placePhraseC2
El silenciamiento génico apaga sin borrar.Gene silencing switches off without deleting.
la regulación epigenéticathe control that sits on top of the sequence without changing itPhraseC2
La regulación epigenética no cambia la secuencia.Epigenetic regulation does not change the sequence.
la metilación del ADNthe chemical mark that turns a stretch downPhraseC2
La metilación del ADN se hereda a veces de una generación a otra.DNA methylation is sometimes passed from one generation to the next.
la mutación puntualthe change of a single basePhraseC2
La mutación puntual cambia una sola base.A point mutation changes a single base.
la mutación silenciosathe change that leaves the amino acid as it wasPhraseC2
La mutación silenciosa no cambia el aminoácido.A silent mutation does not change the amino acid.
la mutación de sentido erróneothe change that puts a different amino acid inPhraseC2
La mutación de sentido erróneo sustituye un aminoácido por otro.A missense mutation substitutes one amino acid for another.
la mutación sin sentidothe change that stops the protein earlyPhraseC2
La mutación sin sentido corta la proteína antes de tiempo.A nonsense mutation cuts the protein short.
la inserción de basesthe extra base or bases pushed into the sequencePhraseC2
La inserción de bases desplaza todo lo que viene después.An insertion of bases shifts everything that comes after.
la translocación cromosómicathe swap that puts a piece of one chromosome on anotherPhraseC2
La translocación cromosómica junta dos genes que no se tocaban.A chromosomal translocation joins two genes that never met.
el polimorfismo de un solo nucleótidothe single-letter difference that varies between peoplePhraseC2
El polimorfismo de un solo nucleótido distingue a unos individuos de otros.A single-nucleotide polymorphism tells individuals apart.
la expresividad variablethe difference in how strongly they show itPhraseC2
La expresividad variable explica hermanos muy distintos.Variable expressivity explains very different siblings.
la herencia poligénicathe trait carried by many genes with small effects eachPhraseC2
La herencia poligénica reparte el efecto entre muchos genes.Polygenic inheritance spreads the effect over many genes.
el ligamiento génicothe closeness that makes two genes travel togetherPhraseC2
El ligamiento génico hace viajar juntos a dos genes.Gene linkage makes two genes travel together.
la recombinación meióticathe shuffling of the versions when the cells dividePhraseC2
La recombinación meiótica baraja las variantes.Meiotic recombination shuffles the variants.
la reacción en cadena de la polimerasathe reaction that multiplies a tiny stretch into a usable amountPhraseC2
La reacción en cadena de la polimerasa multiplica una secuencia diminuta.The polymerase chain reaction multiplies a minute sequence.
la secuenciación masivathe reading of enormous numbers of stretches at oncePhraseC2
La secuenciación masiva abarató todo el campo.High-throughput sequencing made the whole field cheap.
la cobertura de la secuenciahow many times each position was read, which limits what can be claimedPhraseC2
La cobertura de la secuencia decide qué se puede afirmar.The coverage of the sequence decides what can be asserted.
el gen de referenciathe gene held steady so that other levels can be compared to itPhraseC2
El gen de referencia sirve para comparar niveles.The reference gene serves to compare levels.
el vector de clonaciónthe carrier that takes a fragment into a cellPhraseC2
El vector de clonación lleva el fragmento a la célula.The cloning vector carries the fragment into the cell.
la enzima de restricciónthe enzyme that cuts wherever an exact sequence occursPhraseC2
La enzima de restricción corta por una secuencia exacta.The restriction enzyme cuts at an exact sequence.
la edición génicathe cutting done on purpose, leaving the cell to repair itPhraseC2
La edición génica corta y deja que la célula repare.Gene editing cuts and lets the cell repair.
el efecto fuera de dianathe cut made somewhere it was not meant to bePhraseC2
El efecto fuera de diana se busca en todo el genoma.Off-target effects are searched for across the whole genome.
la terapia génicathe treatment that supplies or repairs a functionPhraseC2
La terapia génica sustituye o corrige una función.Gene therapy replaces or corrects a function.
el consejo genéticothe conversation that explains probabilities, not fatesPhraseC2
El consejo genético explica probabilidades, no destinos.Genetic counselling explains probabilities, not destinies.
Noun (m) (10)
el genomathe whole of the genetic material of an organismNoun (m)C2
El genoma humano se secuenció por primera vez a comienzos de siglo.The human genome was first sequenced at the start of the century.
el genotipowhat the sequence saysNoun (m)C2
El genotipo no determina el resultado por sí solo.The genotype does not determine the outcome by itself.
el fenotipowhat can actually be seen of itNoun (m)C2
El fenotipo es lo que se puede observar.The phenotype is what can be observed.
el nucleótidothe unit of the chain, a base with its sugar and phosphateNoun (m)C2
El nucleótido consta de base, azúcar y fosfato.A nucleotide consists of a base, a sugar and a phosphate.
el codónthe three bases that name one amino acidNoun (m)C2
El codón son tres bases que nombran un aminoácido.A codon is three bases naming one amino acid.
el promotorthe stretch in front that decides when reading startsNoun (m)C2
El promotor decide cuándo empieza la lectura.The promoter decides when reading begins.
el intrónthe piece cut out before the protein is madeNoun (m)C2
El intrón se corta antes de traducir.The intron is cut out before translation.
el exónthe piece that does get through to the proteinNoun (m)C2
El exón sí llega a la proteína.The exon does reach the protein.
el aleloone of the versions a gene comes inNoun (m)C2
El alelo es una variante del mismo gen.An allele is a variant of the same gene.
el cebadorthe short piece that tells the copying where to startNoun (m)C2
El cebador marca dónde empieza la copia.The primer marks where the copy starts.
Noun (f) (3)
la transcripciónthe making of a working copy of one stretchNoun (f)C2
La transcripción produce una copia de trabajo.Transcription produces a working copy.
la deleciónthe piece taken out of the sequenceNoun (f)C2
La deleción puede eliminar un gen entero.A deletion can remove a whole gene.
la penetranciathe share of carriers who actually show the traitNoun (f)C2
La penetrancia dice qué fracción manifiesta el rasgo.Penetrance says what fraction show the trait.
This list belongs to Nature and natural sciences — 31 lists and 1550 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.