- "Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms." - "Heredity is vital to organisms' evolution."
The study of inherited traits and variations in genetic code, with particular emphasis on how these traits are passed down through generations and used to reconstruct past genealogies and relationships.
Heredity: The study of how traits are passed down from one generation to the next.
Mendelian Inheritance: The principles of inheritance first described by Gregor Mendel based on his experiments with pea plants.
Chromosomes: The structures inside cells that contain genes.
DNA: The molecule that carries genetic information.
Mutation: Changes in DNA that can occur spontaneously or as a result of exposure to mutagens.
Genetic Disorders: Diseases caused by genetic mutations that can be inherited.
Genetic Testing: The use of laboratory tests to diagnose genetic disorders and determine an individual's risk for developing certain conditions.
Genetic Counseling: A process that helps individuals and families understand genetic risks and make informed decisions about their health.
Evolution: The process by which species change over time through the accumulation of genetic variations.
Gene Therapy: A type of medical treatment that involves modifying genes to treat or prevent disease.
Genomics: The study of genomes and the genetic information they contain.
Epigenetics: The study of changes in gene expression that occur without alterations to DNA sequence.
Bioinformatics: The use of computer technology to analyze and interpret genetic data.
Classical genetics: Also known as Mendelian genetics, it focuses on the inheritance of traits across generations according to the laws of segregation and independent assortment.
Molecular genetics: This type of genetics investigates the structure and function of DNA, RNA, and proteins, as well as the mechanisms regulating gene expression.
Population genetics: It studies the genetic variation, distribution, and changes within and between populations over time and space. It also deals with the evolutionary forces shaping genetic diversity and adaptation.
Quantitative genetics: This field examines the inheritance and expression of complex traits, such as height, weight, intelligence, and disease susceptibility, which are influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors.
Epigenetics: It investigates the modifications of gene expression and cellular identity, such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and non-coding RNAs, which are heritable but not encoded in the DNA sequence.
Developmental genetics: This type of genetics explores the genetic control of embryo and organ development, including morphogenesis, differentiation, and patterning, as well as the role of genetic defects in birth defects and developmental disorders.
Evolutionary genetics: It focuses on the principles and processes of genetic evolution, including natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, gene flow, and speciation. It also considers the genetic basis of adaptation, biogeography, and phylogenetics.
Medical genetics: This field combines genetics and clinical medicine to diagnose, treat, and prevent genetic disorders, as well as to understand the genetic contribution to multifactorial diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Forensic genetics: It applies genetic analyses to legal and criminal investigations, such as paternity testing, identification of human remains, and forensic DNA profiling.
Behavioral genetics: This type of genetics studies the genetic and environmental factors that influence behavioral traits, such as personality, intelligence, mood, and addiction susceptibility.
- "Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinian friar working in the 19th century in Brno, was the first to study genetics scientifically." - "Mendel studied 'trait inheritance', patterns in the way traits are handed down from parents to offspring over time."
- "Organisms (pea plants) inherit traits by way of discrete 'units of inheritance'."
- "This term, still used today, is a somewhat ambiguous definition of what is referred to as a gene."
- "Trait inheritance and molecular inheritance mechanisms of genes are still primary principles of genetics in the 21st century."
- "Modern genetics has expanded to study the function and behavior of genes." - "Gene structure and function, variation, and distribution are studied within the context of the cell, the organism, and within the context of a population."
- "Genetics has given rise to a number of subfields, including molecular genetics, epigenetics, and population genetics."
- "Organisms studied within the broad field span the domains of life (archaea, bacteria, and eukarya)."
- "Genetic processes work in combination with an organism's environment and experiences to influence development and behavior, often referred to as nature versus nurture."
- "The intracellular or extracellular environment of a living cell or organism may increase or decrease gene transcription."
- "A classic example is two seeds of genetically identical corn, one placed in a temperate climate and one in an arid climate." - "The one in the arid climate only grows to half the height of the one in the temperate climate due to lack of water and nutrients in its environment."
- "Heredity is vital to organisms' evolution."
- "Trait inheritance and molecular inheritance mechanisms of genes are still primary principles of genetics in the 21st century."
- "Gene structure and function, variation, and distribution are studied within the context of the cell, the organism, and within the context of a population."
- "Genetics has given rise to a number of subfields, including population genetics."
- "Genetic processes work in combination with an organism's environment and experiences to influence development and behavior, often referred to as nature versus nurture."
- "The intracellular or extracellular environment of a living cell or organism may increase or decrease gene transcription."
- "A classic example is two seeds of genetically identical corn, one placed in a temperate climate and one in an arid climate." - "The one in the arid climate only grows to half the height of the one in the temperate climate due to lack of water and nutrients in its environment."
- "Genetics has given rise to a number of subfields, including molecular genetics, epigenetics, and population genetics."
- "Organisms studied within the broad field span the domains of life (archaea, bacteria, and eukarya)."