Abasic Site
Definition
An abasic site is a position in a nucleic-acid backbone where the nitrogenous base is missing while part of the sugar–phosphate structure remains. Such damage can interfere with copying or contribute to sequence errors, depending on the assay and processing.
Related terms
- Fluorescence Quenching
- Reduction of detected fluorescent signal through interactions with the detection system. Antigen–antibody recognition can be linked to different detection systems. Fluorescent responses...
- Inhibition
- Interference with an assay by substances or conditions, distinct from loss or fragmentation of the target. An internal control can help assess...
- Internal Amplification Control
- A target used to assess relevant reaction behaviour within an assay. Inhibition concerns interference with the assay rather than simply a low...
- MiniSTR
- An STR design reducing the amplified span where possible, with method-specific limits. Shortened STR designs can improve access to some fragmented targets,...
Explained in
- DNA Degradation: Mechanisms, Inhibitors and Environmental EffectsA sugar-backbone position from which a base has been lost.