Carboxy Terminal (c-terminus) - The end of a polypeptide chain that contains a free carboxylic acid group       (a -COOH group) .
 
Centrifuge - A machine using centrifugal force for separating substances of different densities, for removing moisture or for stimulating gravity effects.

Centriole -  One of a pair of cellular organelles that occur especially in animals, are adjacent to the nucleus, function in the formation of the spindle apparatus during cell division, and consist of a cylinder with nine microtubules arranged peripherally in a circle.

Centromere - A specialised chromsome region to which spindle fibres attach during cell division.

Chiasmata - Observable regions in which non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes cross-over each other.

Chi-squared(X² ) test - A statistical test to determine the probability that an observed devaition from the expected event or outcome solely by chance.

Chromatid -  One of the usually paired and parallel strands of a duplicated chromosome joined by a single centromere.

Chromatin - The generic term for any complex of DNA and protein found in the cell's nucleus.

Chromosomes - The self-replicating genetic structures of  cells containing cellular DNA that carries in it's nucleotide sequence the linear array of genes. In prokaryotes, chromosomal DNA is circular, and the entire genome is carried on one chromosome. Eukaryotic genomes consist of a number of chromosomes whose DNA is associated with different kinds of proteins.

Cleavage furrow - The first sign of cleavage in an animal cell; a shallow groove in the cell surface near the metaphase plate.

Cloning - Using specialized DNA technology to produce multiple, exact copies of a single gene or other segment of DNA to obtain enough material for further study. This process is used by researchers in the Human Genome Project, and is referred to as cloning DNA.  The resulting cloned (copied) collections of DNA molecules are called clone libraries. A second type of cloning exploits the natural process of cell division to make many copies of an entire cell. The genetic makeup of these cloned cells, called a cell line, is identical to the original cell. A third type of cloning produces complete, genetically identical animals such as the famous Scottish sheep, Dolly.

Codon - A specific sequence of three consecutive nucleotides that is part of the genetic code and that specifies a particular amino acid in a protein or starts or stops protein synthesis.

Complementary Sequences - Nucleic acid base sequences that form that can form  a double-stranded structure by matching base-pairs : e.g. The complementary sequence to G T A C is C A T G.

Consensus Sequence - The sequence at a promoter which can vary between slightly but always conforms to an overall pattern known as a consensus sequence.

Conserved sequence - A base sequence in a DNA molecule (or an amino acid sequence in a protein) that has remained essentially unchanged throughout evolution.

Crossing over - During meiosis the breaking of one maternal and one paternal chromosome, resulting in the exchange of corresponding sections of DNA, and the rejoining of the chromosome. This process can result in the exchange of alleles between chromosomes.

Cytokinesis - The final stage of cell division, which begins during anaphase but is not completed until after telophase. In this  stage the daughter nuclei emerging  at the end of telophase are packaged into two separate daughter cells.

Cytosine (C) - A nitogenous base found both in DNA and RNA. Cytosine base-pairs with Gaunine.