Python Programming for Biology: Bioinformatics and Beyond

(chemistry):

Plain text (computing):

Poisson distribution

(mathematics):

Position-specific scoring

matrix (bioinformatics):

Positive selection

(biology):

Posterior (mathematics):

Post translational

(molecular biology):

Pound symbol

(computing):

Power spectrum (signal

processing):

Polypeptide (chemistry):

Preservation (molecular

biology):

A numerical constant describing the strength of an acidic group;

equivalent to the pH at which the acidic group is half ionised.

A means of representing data using a restricted set of standard,

textual characters.

A discrete probability distribution that is used to describe the

number of events that occur in a specific interval, assuming the

events occur independently and with a common rate.

A table describing the abundance of different kinds of residue at

each position within the alignment of a family of homologous

genes or proteins.

The tendency for the evolutionary process, in some situations, to

select gene sequences that show differences, i.e. that are actively

changing in sequence.

The probability that a hypothesis is true given some

experimental data

Generally of processes, occurring after a protein has been made,

e.g. modification of the standard amino acids by joining sugars

or lipids.

The ‘#’ key of a keyboard, often called the hash symbol in the

UK and elsewhere the number sign.

The magnitude squared of a complex valued signal, as a

function of frequency.

A long polymer molecule consisting of a string of amino acid

residues, linked via peptide bonds. Polypeptides are the primary

component of proteins.

The tendency for a biological feature to be preserved during the

process of evolution, e.g. protein or DNA sequences that do not

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Proteomics (biology):

Primary key

(computing):

Principal component

analysis (PCA)

(mathematics):

Prior (mathematics):

Probability density

function (mathematics):

Product (mathematics):

Profile (bioinformatics):

Progressive paring

(bioinformatics):

Prompt (computing):

Protein (molecular

change.

The study of the total protein complement of cells or organisms.

In a relational database, this is a list of one or more columns of a

table for which the corresponding values uniquely identify a

record in the table.

A method to find the innate directions within data, represented

as vectors, which explain most of the variance within the data.

Taking the first few principal components of a high-

dimensionality data set provides a method for simplifying the

data (dimensional reduction) while preserving an optimal

amount of variation.

The probability that a hypothesis is true before experimental

data is obtained

For a continuous probability distribution this can be thought of

as the probability that the distribution takes a specified value.

Technically, it is the probability that the distribution takes a

value in a small region around the specified value, divided by

the size of the region, in the limit that the latter goes to zero.

The result of a multiplication operation.

When used in the context of biological sequences, a profile

describes the abundances of different residues at the various

positions within a multiple alignment.

A fast, heuristic method of generating a hierarchical, tree-like

data structure by progressively joining the groups of data items,

starting with the most similar pair.

The symbols printed at the start of a textual, command-line

interface, indicating where to type commands to control a

computer.

A biological macromolecule primarily composed of one or more

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