Scope and Importance of Genetics Lesson 2 PDF

SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE OF GENETICS LESSON 2 What is genetics? Genetics is the scientific study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in living organisms. It focuses on understanding how traits are transmitted from parents to offspring and how genetic information influences biol...

SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE OF GENETICS LESSON 2 What is genetics? Genetics is the scientific study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in living organisms. It focuses on understanding how traits are transmitted from parents to offspring and how genetic information influences biological processes. What is genetics? Genetics is the branch of biology that investigates genes’ structure, function, and behavior. It examines the molecular mechanisms of inheritance and explores how genetic material contributes to the diversity and evolution of life. (Klug et al., 2019). CONCEPTS OF GENETICS  CHROMOSOMES Chromosomes are thread-like structures located inside the nucleus of animal and plant cells. Each chromosome is made of protein and a single molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Passed from parents to offspring, DNA contains the specific instructions that make each type of living creature unique. Gene A gene is a functional unit of heredity made up of DNA, which encodes instructions for synthesizing proteins or RNA molecules that determine Allele An allele is one of two or more alternative forms of a gene found at the same locus on homologous chromosomes, influencing variations in traits. Genotype The genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, referring to the specific combination of alleles it possesses for a given trait. Phenotype The phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, determined by its genotype and environmental factors. Homozygous An organism is homozygous for a trait if it carries two identical alleles for a particular gene. Heterozygous An organism is heterozygous for a trait if it carries two different alleles for a particular Dominant A dominant allele expresses its effect in the phenotype even when only one copy is present in the genotype. Recessive A recessive allele only expresses its effect in the phenotype when two copies are present, with no dominant allele present. Thank You!!!