2. What is Genetics? Genetics is the fraction of biology that studies heredity.
Genetics is the center of all biology because gene activity underlies all biological processes.

3. The study of Genetics involves the understanding of biological properties that are transmitted from parents to offspring.
It studies genes, the molecular nature of these genes, how these genes are transmitted from generation to generation. It includes the study of how these genes are expressed and how these genes’ activity is regulated.
An understanding of gene structure, activity and regulation helps to understand how these genes control all biological processes (from cell structure to reproduction).

4. Classic and Modern Genetics
The terms of “classic” and “modern genetics” are used to separate the scientific research that has been done in Genetics since its beginnings.
The abbreviated timeline of events (or the expansive timeline in your textbook) shows that generally classic genetics involve the studies and discoveries previous to the Central Dogma of genetics proposed by Beadle and Tatum in (these studies encompassed mainly transmission genetics). After 1941, we talk about Modern Genetics (mainly Molecular genetics).

5. ACTIVITY
You and your partner need to make an accurate timeline including some brief notes AND examples at each point using your textbook (pages 2-8) and the following list of words:
(This list is not in proper order; each term is one tick on your timeline)
Gregor Mendel, artificial selection, doctrine of use/disuse, theory of epigenesis vs. the homunculus, prehistoric awareness of heredity, fixity of species, Hippocratic school of medicine, gemmules, spontaneous generation, Aristotle

9. The sub disciplines of Genetics
A more accurate differentiation of the different branches studied by genetics is looking at the Genetics sub disciplines:
Transmission Genetics
Molecular Genetics
Quantitative Genetics
Population Genetics

15. Basic Research: Research done to gain an understanding of fundamental phenomena. For example studying the chemical composition of the cell membrane.
Applied Research: Experiments done with the idea of solving an specific problem.

16. Tools used in Genetic Research
Classic techniques of breeding such as crosses, backcrosses and testcrossing.
Microscopic techniques, such as SEM, TEM, and others.
Molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing, PCR, cloning, etc… Use of genetic model organisms
Construction of Genetic maps
Genetic Databases

22. Human Kayrotype

24. Basic Concepts of Genetics 3
Each organisms contains 2 copies of a gene (diploid), one maternal and one paternal. The alternative versions of the gene are called ALLELES.
An organism having a pair of identical alleles is said to be HOMOZYGOUS. An organism having a pair of different alleles is said to be HETEROZYGOUS.
The complete genetic makeup of an organism is the GENOTYPE.
The physical expression of the genotype or the observable properties of an individual is the PHENOTYPE.