History of Genetics
What is Genetics ?
Genetics
Genetics
Cultivated varieties
Basic Concepts of Genetics
Nucleus - contains genetic material
DNA - genetic material
4 bases (nucleotides G, C, A, T)
Gene - functional unit of heredity
sequence of 4 nucleotides
Chromosome -linear DNA molecule
Genetics is the study of heredity and variation
Examples of genetic variation •Domestication of animals
1. Domesticated species
2. Human genetics
•Cultivation of plants
3. Natural Populations
Which suspect matches the
Variance
blood stain ?
Bloodstain
Basic Concepts of Genetics Basic Concepts of Genetics
Cell/nuclear division • Mendelian Genetics
(transmission genetics)
• Mitosis (somatic tissue):
identical cells
• Molecular Genetics
• Meiosis (germ tissue):
(hereditary material)
gametes
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 Historical Notes Understanding Genetics Mendelian Genetics

1865 Gregor Mendel • Relationship between: Requirements:

GENOTYPE
- controlled genetic
ENVIRONMENT
1. Attributes of the phenotype that
PHENOTYPE
experiments (garden peas) vary among individuals
set of genes morphology
- statistical regularity inherited physiology 2. Phenotypic variation caused by
behaviour
- theory of inheritance genetic differences

Genotype and Phenotype Mendelian Genetics Mendel’s Experiments

Seven Pea varieties “True Breeding Lines”
• The genotype is our actual genes. We Character “traits” Phenotypes
cannot see our genes. • Genes - cannot be observed directly 1. seed shape round, wrinkled
• Phenotypes - observed directly 2. seed colour yellow, green
• The phenotype is the physical expression of 3. flowers (pods) axial, terminal
those genes. 4. pods full, constricted
** inheritance of phenotypes used to 5. pods yellow, green
infer the inheritance of genes 6. flowers violet, white
7. stem tall, dwarf

Fertilization Fertilization
Mommy Daddy
Gametes carry the genetic information about
an organism.
The male gamete produce Sperm.
The female gametes produce Eggs.
The process in which one gamete is united
with another is called Fertilization.
BABY

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 Self-Fertilization
• When an organism has both male and
female gametes, they are able to self-
fertilize.
Pure Lines
(Homozygous)
• When an organism is said to be of pure
lines, it means their genotype is two
identical alleles.
• TT is the pure line for a tall plant.
• tt is the pure line for a short plant.
Punnett Square
T T
T TT TT
T TT
TT
Advantages Dominance
• Some characteristics overshadow others
• easy to grow when crossed.
• matures in a season • This is referred to as a Dominant trait.
• The unseen trait is said to be Recessive.
• self-fertilizing • Dominant traits are represented on
charts by a capital letter.
• easy to cross-fertilize
• Recessive traits are represented by a
lower case letter
Hybrids
Homozygous and Heterozygous
(Heterozygous)
• When parents of two different pure lines • When an organism has identical alleles,
are crossed, the offspring are called it is said to be homozygous.
hybrids. • TT, and tt would both be homozygous
• A hybrid’s genotype consists of two
different alleles. • When an organism has two different
• The genotype Tt would be a tall plant alleles, it is heterozygous.
hybrid. • Tt is heterozygous.
Punnett Square of Cross
Cross Pollination
Pollination
MOM
T t
DAD
T TT Tt
T Tt
TT
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 Punnett Square
Punnett Square Punnett Square
(Monohybrid Cross)
MOM MOM MOM
T t T t t t
DAD DAD DAD

T TT Tt t Tt tt t tt tt

t tt t tt t tt
Tt Tt tt

Mendel’s Experimental
Genetic Analysis (pea shape) Hypothesis to explain results
Approach
1. Hereditary determinants (genes)
Suitable experimental organism
2. Each adult plant has a gene pair
• examine few traits in each experiment
F1 plants: one gene dominant phenotype
• accurate quantitative records
one gene recessive phenotype

• analyzed data formulated hypotheses

Hypothesis (continued)
Hypothesis Self Fertilization

3. Members of a gene pair segregate equally

into the gametes

4. Each gamete has only one member of a gene pair

5. Gametes combine at random to form zygote

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 Test of Equal If a plant is short, what is its
Principle of Segregation
Segregation Hypothesis genotype?
Three parts:
1. Hereditary characteristics are determined • It must be homozygous recessive, tt.
by distinct units or factors.
2. For each characteristic, an individual
carries two factors, one inherited from each
parent.
3. The two factors of each pair segregate from
each other and end up in separate gametes.

If a plant is tall, what is its

Test Cross Test Cross
genotype? Heterozygous Homozygous

Known Known
• It could be homozygous dominant, or homozygous T t homozygous T T
heterozygous. TT, or Tt. recessive recessive

tt 1/2 Tt All
t Tt t Tt
• To determine which genotype it is we use a Tall Tall
test cross.
1/2 N0
t tt Short t Tt Short
Tt Tt

Genetic Terminology Summary Summary

Genes: hereditary elements Experimental:
• Alleles: forms of a gene: A a Results:
• Heterozygote: Aa 1. Two pure breeding lines
• Homozygotes: AA aa
2. Cross --------> F1 hybrid 1. F1 one phenotype
• Genotype: Genetic makeup
• Phenotype: What we actually see 3. Self F1 ------> F2 2. F2 3:1 ratio of 2 phenotypes
• Dominance AA, Aa same phenotype

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 Summary
Inference:
1. Single major gene
2. dominant phenotype
3. equal segregation
4. existence of genes inferred