Why Study Genetics?*

1
Why Study Genetics?

• or What am I going to learn in this class?

2
Why study genetics?

• The study of genetics has helped to unlock some
  of the mysteries of life and brings up the
  question of what it really means to be human.
• We have learned more about
• Who we were
• Who we are
• Who we are becoming
• The future of genetics has no end in sight, as
  the more we know, the more questions we have.

3
Who We Were

• Genetic Analysis Reveals Complexity of Modern
  Human Origins Scientific American March 2002
  Kate Wong
• Your Inner Fish Neil Shubin
• Molecular Clocks
• Eugenics

4
Who we are

• Everything that makes us who we are is influenced
  by our DNA and genes
• Human Genome Project
• Genetic Errors
• Often get all the attention
• Normal Gene Functioning
• How our bodies work and allow us to do the things
  we do

5
Fig. 21-5
Proteins
6
Who We Are Becoming

• Societal impacts of our knowledge
• Biotechnology/Bioethics
• Genetic Testing
• Genetic Manipulation
• Agriculture/GMOs
• What does the future hold?

7
The Study of Genetics

• Molecular Genetics
• Smallest scaleindividual organism
• DNA-gtRNA-gtProtein traits
• Transmission Genetics
• Next level--generational
• How genes are inherited
• Population Genetics
• Large scaleentire population
• Natural selection favors certain traits, which
  means that certain genes are favored as well.

8
Genetic Terminology

• Define as many of these terms as you can based
  on what you already know about genetics.
• Gene
• Mutation
• Allele
• Dominant
• Recessive
• Phenotype
• Genotype
• Sex chromosome
• Autosome

9
(No Transcript)