CYTOGENTICS
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS
Genetics 10. Avery, MacLeod and McCarty (1994)
The field of science that examines how traits are They show that DNA is the “transforming
passed from one generation to the next principle” responsible for heredity
Affects everything about every living on earth
11. Chargaff (1950)
Genes Discovers that A (Adenine)=T (Thymine)
Segments of DNA that are fundamental units of and C (Cytosine)=G (Guanine) or the
heredity Chargaff’s Rule
Plays an essential role in how the organism
looks, behaves and reproduce 12. Hersey and Chase (1952)
Use radioactive labeling to prove that DNA
Less than 150 years ago is responsible for heredity
The principles that govern inheritance of traits by
one generation from another were described 13. Watson and Crick (1953)
Developed the double helix model of DNA
20th century
The laws of inheritance were rediscovered 14. Jacob and Monod (1961)
Propose the existence of mRNA
1950’s
The importance of the star of the genetics show, 1990s
DNA was really understood Genome sequencing projects begin
BRIEF HISTORY GENETICS FOUR MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS
1. Gregor Mendel (1865) 1. Classical or Mendelian Genetics
Documents patterns of heredity in pea plants A discipline that describes how physical
characteristics (traits) are passed along from
2. Miescher (1869) one generation to another
First identifies DNA (“nuclein”)
2. Molecular Genetics
3. Sutton and Boveri (1902) The study of the chemical and physical
Propose chromosome theory of heredity structures of DNA, its close cousin RNA
and proteins
4. Morgan (1915) Covers how genes do their jobs
And his “fly room” colleagues confirm the
chromosome theory of heredity
5. Muller (1927)
Shows that x-rays induce mutations
6. Griffith (1928)
Transformation experiments transform non-
pathogenic bacteria strains to pathogenic
7. Hammerling (1930s)
He shows that heredity information is
contained in the nuclei of eukaryotic cells
8. McClintock (1931)
Demonstrates genetic recombination in corn
9. Beadle and Tatum (1941)
Describe the “one-gene-one enzyme”
hypothesis
Prepared by: SHSB
