Fields of Genetics
Fields of Genetics
Fields of Genetics
Genetics
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/science/scimeth2.htm
Classical Genetics
(based on Mendel's 1st and 2nd laws)
• Mendel's first and second laws of inheritance
• Meiosis and mitosis
• Somatic and sex chromosome mapping
• Extrachromosomal inheritance
• Cytogenetics (changes in chromosome number and
structure)
• Quantitative genetics
Molecular Genetics (based on the Central
Dogma of Molecular Genetics)
• Structure of nuclear and organelle DNA
• Chemistry and replication of DNA
• Transcription and translation
• DNA cloning
• Control of gene expression
• Mutation and the repair of DNA
Evolutionary Genetics (based on the
theory of Natural Selection proposed by
Darwin)
•Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
•Evolution
•Speciation
•Population genetics
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
1. General Features of an Organism Used for Genetic Studies
• good genetic background
• easy to grow
• controlled mating is possible
• can be genetically engineered
• funding available
2. Viruses
• easily grown in culture
• rapid generation time
• encode only a few the proteins, which permit a detailed analysis of well-defined
system
• some viruses have control mechanisms found in eukaryotic species
• can be genetically engineered
• lack organized chromosome
• not all genetic features can be extrapolated to other organisms
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
3. Escherichia coli
• easily grown in culture
• rapid generation time
• many mutants available
• many genes involved
• life cycle very well defined
• relatively simple to generate new mutants
• can be genetically engineered
• contain a rudimentary chromosome
• not all genetic features can be extrapolated to higher organisms
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
Human
• intense public interest and funding available
• relatively well-mapped for most eukaryotic species
• many diseases (mutant phenotypes) understood clinically
• well-defined cytogenetic system
• long generation time
• many traits can only be studied in cell culture
• cannot make controlled crosses
• cannot be genetically engineered
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
Drosophila
• short generation time for a eukaryotic organisms (two
weeks)
• availability of many mutants controlling specific
phenotypes
• large chromosomes with well-defined cytogenetic system
• survives well in the lab and matings are easily performed
• currently, the best organism to study developmental
genetics
• transposable elements can be manipulated to clone
genes
• can be genetically engineered
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
Maize
• best mapped plant species
• many mutants are available that control seed traits
• well-defined cytogenetic system
• transposable elements well understood and can be used
to clone genes
• matings tedious, but produce many (hundreds) of
progeny
• only three generations per year
• cannot be easily genetically engineered
• not well funded
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
Rabidopsis thaliana
• small genome with little repetitive DNA
• short generation time (six weeks)
• many mutants rapidly becoming available
• matings tedious, but produce many (thousands)
of progeny
• currently, an intensely investigated organisms; the
Drosophila of plant species
• can be easily genetically engineered
Characteristics Of Organisms Used For Genetic Studies
Mouse