Module 1: Introduction to Genetics PDF

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS Prepared by: Leyna Yvone Juco, RMT, CPhT PHINMA-SJC LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Define Genetics and give its scope 2. Enumerate the different branches of Genetics 3. Familiarize how Genetics came to be through history and possible career...

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS Prepared by: Leyna Yvone Juco, RMT, CPhT PHINMA-SJC LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Define Genetics and give its scope 2. Enumerate the different branches of Genetics 3. Familiarize how Genetics came to be through history and possible career paths. 4. Defining the subject of genetics and its various subdivisions 5. A review of some of the possible career opportunities in genetics GENETICS is the field of science that examines how traits are passed from one generation to the next. genetic, derived from the Greek word genesis—γένεσις, "origin" CYTOGENETICS Cytology – study of those minute living units, the cells, of which plants and animals are constructed. Chromosomes – hereditary units are located and the physical basis of heredity When the physical basis of genetic phenomena was realized numerous studies were undertaken using the methods of both genetics and cytology and correlating data obtained by genetic procedures with observations determined by cytological techniques. Cytogenetics – a term which emphasizes the correlation of information obtained by two diverse techniques BRIEF HISTORY Imre Festetics - was the first who used the word "genetics.“ Gregor Mendel in the mid-19th century who studied the nature of inheritance in plants. Around the turn of the 20th century, the laws of inheritance were rediscovered, an event that transformed biology forever. But even then, the importance of the star of the genetics show, DNA, wasn’t really understood until the 1950s. Now, technology is helping geneticists push the envelope of knowledge every day. Four major subdivisions of Genetics Classical genetics: Describes how traits (physical characteristics) are passed along from one generation to another. Molecular genetics: The study of the chemical and physical structures of DNA, its cousin RNA, and proteins. Population genetics: Takes Mendelian genetics (that is, the genetics of individual families) and ramps it up to look at the genetic makeup of larger groups. Quantitative genetics: A highly mathematical field that examines the statistical relationships between genes and the traits they encode. Classical genetics Gregor Mendel – founder of the entire discipline of genetics. Classical genetics is the genetics of individuals and their families. It focuses mostly on studying physical traits as a stand- in for the genes that control appearance, or phenotype Other Term: > Mendelian Genetics – you start a new scientific discipline, you get it named after you. > Transmission Genetics – describes how traits are passed on or transmitted CLASSICAL GENETICS Includes the study of cells and chromosomes Genetics of sex (gender) and reproduction – determined by various combination of genes and chromosomes (DNA) - Environmental effect - Genetic Counseling and Forensics Molecular Genetics The focus of molecular genetics includes the physical and chemical structures of the double helix, DNA Genes are expressed through a complex system of interactions that begins with copying DNA’s messages into a somewhat temporary form called RNA, RNA carries the DNA message through the process of translation Causes of Cancer – mutations occur at the chemical level of DNA Gene Therapy, Genetic engineering and cloning POPULATION GENETICS The study of the genetic diversity of a subset of a particular species. Search for patterns that help describe the genetic signature of a particular group, such as the consequences of travel, isolation (from other populations), mating choices, geography, and behavior. Population genetics helps scientists understand how the collective genetic diversity of a population influences the health of individuals within the population. Quantitative Genetics Examines traits that vary in really subtle ways and relates those traits to the underlying genetics of organisms. Mathematical in nature, quantitative genetics takes a rather complex statistical approach to estimate how much variation in a particular trait is due to the environment and how much is actually genetic. Determining how heritable a particular trait is. QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCI - which estimates how many genes control a particular trait Analysis is combined with sequencing to map the location of various genes. common activities that occur in the genetics lab include: Separating DNA from the rest of a cell’s contents. Mixing chemicals that are used in reactions and experiments designed to analyze DNA samples. Growing special strains of bacteria and viruses to aid in examining short stretches of DNA. Using DNA sequencing to learn the order of bases that compose a DNA strand. Setting up polymerase chain reactions, or PCR, a powerful process that allows scientists to analyze even very tiny amounts of DNA. Analyzing the results of DNA sequencing by comparing sequences from many different organisms (you can find this Information in a massive, publicly available database — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/). Comparing DNA fingerprints from several individuals to identify perpetrators or to assign paternity. Holding weekly or daily meetings where everyone in the lab comes together to discuss results or plan new experiments. Sorting through jobs in genetics 1. Graduate student and post-doc 2. Lab technician 3. Research scientist 4. College or university professor 5. Clinical laboratory director 6. Clinical geneticist 7. Genetic counselor 8. Genetic counseling assistant