0.1 Basic principles of genetics  (Page 70/19)

Lecture 1. genetics is a science of genes

Since the beginning of human history, people have wondered how traits are inherited from one generation to the next. Although children often look more like one parent than the other, most offspring seem to be a blend of the characteristics of both parents. Centuries of breeding of domestic plants and animals had shown that useful traits - speed in horses, strength in oxen, and larger fruits in crops - can be accentuated by controlled mating. However, there was no scientific way to predict the outcome of a cross between two particular parents.

It wasn't until 1865 that an Augustinian monk named Gregor Mendel found that individual traits are determined by discrete "factors," later known as genes, which are inherited from the parents. His rigorous approach transformed agricultural breeding from an art to a science. However, Mendel’s work was not appreciated immediately.

That’s why the science of genetics really began with the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel's work at the turn of the 20th century, and the next 40 years or so saw the elucidation of the principles of inheritance and genetic mapping. Microbial genetics emerged in the mid 1940s, and the role of DNA as the genetic material was firmly established. During this period great advances were made in understanding the mechanisms of gene transfer between bacteria, and a broad knowledge base was established from which later developments would emerge.

The discovery of the structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 provided the stimulus for the development of genetics at the molecular level, and the next few years saw a period of intense activity and excitement as the main features of the gene and its expression were determined. This work culminated with the establishment of the complete genetic code in 1966. The stage was now set for the appearance of the new genetics.

From 1865 to now the history of genetics development is the development of human knowledge and understanding of genes. In other words, genetics is a science of the structure, function and movement of genes. Before going into the exact definition of gene, one can begin by understanding that a gene is a piece of DNA which has a function such as determining human eye color, pea seed shape or a disease.

Lecture 2. genes are mostly located on chromosomes

All living organisms are composed of cells. Many of the chemical reactions of an organism, its metabolism, take place inside of cells. The genetic information required for the maintenance of existing cells and the production of new cells is stored within the membrane-bound nucleus in eukaryotic cells or in the nucleoid region of prokaryotes. This genetic information passes from one generation to the next.  

The nucleus, which contains the genetic information (DNA), is the control center of the cell. DNA in the nucleus is packaged into chromosomes. DNA replication and RNA transcription of DNA occur in the nucleus. Transcription is the first step in the expression of genetic information and is the major metabolic activity of the nucleus.