BASIC TERMINOLOGIES OF GENETICS

BASIC TERMINOLOGIES OF GENETICS

 

Genetics

Genetics is the study of genes and heredity it include the study of basic units of heredity, genes, and other transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next.

Heredity

Heredity is the passing of characteristics, traits; genetic information from one generation to next by genetic material is called heredity. Parent’s information and children information can be collected from the heredity material. Children’s have those characteristics that have in theirs parents. Heredity is to blame for the similarities between parents and their children since offspring inherit genetic instructions from their parents, altering characteristics of their physical appearance, behavior, and susceptibility to specific diseases.

Variation in genetics

Variation describes the distinctions or diversity found between individuals within a group or among members of a species. These variations may be in terms of appearance, conduct, or genetic make-up.

Gene

An essential component of heredity, a gene is a section of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that carries the genetic code of living things.

Cells

Cells are the fundamental structural and functional units of life. They are the basic building blocks of all living organisms.

Cell division

The process through which a single cell splits into two or more daughter cells is known as cell division. It is necessary for the development, maintenance, and procreation of living things.

Cell division primarily takes place in two ways:

1.     Mitosis: Multicellular organisms that have somatic (body (not gametes (sperm or egg)) cells go through a process of cell division called mitosis. Two identical daughter cells are created as a result, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

2.   Meiosis: Meiosis is a specific kind of cell division that takes place in sperm and egg cells, which are reproductive cells. It produces four different daughter cells by half the number of chromosomes.

 

MENDELIAN GENETICS

Gregor Mendel created Mendelian genetics the theory of genetic inheritance in the 1800s.

Law of segregation: “During gamete formation - alleles for each gene segregate (Isolate) from each other, so that each gamete carries only one (1) allele for each gene.”

Male gametes (sperm), and female gametes (eggs), are two gametes in animals. Male (pollen) and female (ovules) are the two gametes in plants.

Allele: Allele is an alternative form of a gene present on a specific location of chromosome.

Law of independent assortment: “When gametes are formed, different characteristics genes can segregate independently.”

CHROMOSOME THEORY OF HEREDITY

The Sutton-Boveri theory, commonly referred to as the chromosomal theory of heredity, is an essential idea in genetics that shows a clear connection between chromosome behaviour and the laws of Mendelian inheritance. In the early 20th century, Walter Sutton and Theodor Boveri separately proposed this theory, which served as a vital link between Mendel's research on the inheritance of traits and the developing field of cellular biology.

The main principles of the chromosome theory of heredity are as follows:

Chromosomes Carry Genetic Information: T According to the concept, chromosomes—thread-like structures discovered in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells—carry the genetic material required for the transmission of traits. Genes, which are particular sections of DNA on chromosomes, are where this genetic data is stored.

Mendel's Laws and Chromosomes: The idea correlates the activity of chromosomes during cell division, particularly during meiosis (the process of gamete production), with Mendel's concepts of inheritance (such as the segregation of alleles during gamete formation and the independent assortment of genes).

Homologous Chromosomes: One chromosome from each parent is inherited in each pair of homologous chromosomes, which are the only chromosomes that exist in pairs. The same features are encoded by various alleles on these homologous chromosomes.

Alleles Segregate during Meiosis: Allele segregation is ensured during meiosis when homologous chromosomes divide into different gametes. In line with Mendel's Law of Segregation, this occurs.

Independent Assortment: Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment is in agreement with the independent assortment of genes on various chromosomes during meiosis. Offspring are produced as a result, and they are genetically diverse.

 

Chromosome theory of inheritance brought together the knowledge of how traits are passed down through the genetic and cellular levels. It included a thorough explanation of where genes are found on chromosomes, how they are passed down through the generations, and how genetic variety develops. This theory served as the foundation for contemporary genetics and our knowledge of the molecular causes of heredity, including ideas like chromosome mapping and genetic linkage.