Gregor Mendel's Genetics
Though genetics is often attributed to Gregor Mendel, the idea of trait or characteristic inheritance from parents had been around for quite some time before him. Many scientists who came before Mendel agreed that children inherited traits from their parents. This was usually based on observable traits such as skin color, facial features, and body structure. What Gregor Mendel did was revolutionize the way inheritance was seen.
Mendel was a monk who studied the life span and cycles of pea plants. In his studies, he noticed that there were inheritance patterns for certain traits among the plants. Specifically, he tracked the rounded and wrinkled trait as well as the yellow or green trait. He was able to observe the inheritance of these four traits, through several generations of plants. His results led him to believe that heredity is particular and could be explained through rules or ratios. He also found ways to calculate for genetic probabilities using mathematics.
Mendel's work was groundbreaking. This keen observation revolutionized the way all living things were now seen. Scientists that succeeded Mendel began to test his conclusions against other species of plants and animals. It was one of these later scientists, William Bateson who coined the termgenetics. Later the units of inheritance or inheritable traits were called genes.
Since Mendel's first experiments, genetics has evolved into the study of the many genes found within various organisms. Through studying an organism's DNA, scientists are able to better understand the blueprint of living things and are able to help or better the organism in one way or another. By isolating certain genes, scientists can prevent organisms from ever developing a particular trait. These studies have led to the GMOs earlier discussed, but they have also led to the possibilities of cures for diseases like cancer or multiple sclerosis.
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