A

human perspec-ve on gene-cs

Objectives: explain How genetics developed as a discipline What genes are, the basic way they work, and how they are transmitted from parents to offspring Methods employed to study genes The many ways in which the eugenics movement has had an impact on society The impact on our lives of biotechnology and the Human Genome Project

Genes and genetics

What is genetics? The study of heredity. Of how traits are passed from generation to generation Importance:
Genes control what cells and organisms are and look like; how an organism develops and reproduces Understanding genes is key to understand life Genetic-based technology (biotechnology) is ahead of public policy and laws and constantly ignites debates Knowing about genetics is important to make informed decisions about personal and public life

Genes and genetics

What are genes? How do they work? The structural and functional unit of genetics A string of chemical units (nucleotides) in a DNA molecule The sequence of nucleotides stores information in the form of a genetic code The genetic code holds the key to build chemical units that make up gene products, mainly proteins The action of proteins produces characteristics we can study (the phenotype)

Genes and genetics

What are genes? How do they work? Properties of a gene
Genes can change (mutate) Genes can be expressed (turned on) or not (turned off) Genes can move from one chromosome to another (recombine)

Genes and genetics

How are genes transmitted?
What we know about how genes are passed from one generation to another is thanks to Gregor Mendel, a Czech/Austrian monk from the 19th century Mendel used plants with define discrete traits and did multiple crossings keeping detailed records of the traits of each generation Mendel determined traits are inherited due to factors (later called genes), passed from parents to offspring He observed each parent has two genes per trait, but only pass one to their offspring Mendel s work went unnoticed until the early 20th century when it was rediscovered , and acknowledged as having seminal importance

Genes and genetics

How are genes studied? Approaches
Transmission (a.k.a. Mendelian) genetics:
The most basic approach; it studies how observable traits are passed from generation to generation. Studied by direct observation (like Mendel did) or by pedigree analyses

Cytogenetics:
Study of chromosome number and structure, and their link to abnormalities. Main tool: Karyotypes

Molecular genetics:
It uses recombinant DNA technology to identify, analyze, and manipulate genes (and proteins)

Population genetics:
It studies distributions and frequencies of genes and gene variants (alleles) in populations and their relation to evolution

Genes and genetics

How are genes studied? Genetics in basic and applied research
Genetics has the same dualities of any science Basic research: to understand a process or a phenomenon; how things work
Knowledge generates more questions and more research

Applied research: Solving practical problems using knowledge from basic research In applied research controversies exist
Impact of genetically modified organisms in nature and human health Manipulation of hormones to increase the production of milk or meat Privacy of genetic information obtained from individuals

Understanding concepts in genetics is important to know how to use biotechnology in our lives Good you re taking this class

Genetics and society

Impact on social policy
After the origin of species was published Darwin s cousin, Francis Galton, proposed the use of natural selection to improve the human species He started the field of eugenics Claim: The social, intellectual, and economic level of humans can be improved by selective breeding (!!!), to save resources and lessen human suffering discouraging undesirables to procreate Do only genes matter? Hereditarianism Who decides what an undesirable trait is? Eugenics influenced public policy in the 20th century

Genetics and society

Eugenics and immigration law
Eugenics impacted immigration law, because it associated social problems, like crime and poverty, with genetics Immigration from Asia and southern and eastern Europe was discouraged Immigration from Northern and Western Europe was encouraged because of the inhabitants genetic superiority Is there such thing?

Genetics and society

Eugenics and reproductive rights
Eugenics also impacted reproductive rights because claims were believed by some legislators Acts were passed requiring sterilization of those who were genetically, morally, or intellectually inferior criminals, mentally disabled ( imbeciles ), prostitutes, promiscuous people (who some times were actually rape victims) Between 1927 and 1979 over 60 000 people were sterilized in the U.S. Mainly in CA, VA, NC, MI, GA Some have recently apologized

Genetics and society

Eugenics and the Nazi movement
Sterilization was initially prohibited in Germany until eugenicists allied with the Nazis who encouraged the use of eugenics to preserve the Aryan race Hitler passed laws to sterilize the undesirable Eventually to execute them Jews, gypsies, alcoholics, communists and government detractors were eventually covered by this definition. Gas chambers were designed to make the executions more efficient Popularity of Eugenics among Nazis made it increasingly unpopular in the U.S.

Genetics and society

Impact of genetics today
Since the discovery and isolation of restriction enzymes in the 1970s recombinant DNA technology has become the foundation of many applications Gene therapy, genetic testing, CSI, biotechnology industry, among many more One of the most important projects based on the use of recombinant DNA technology is the Human Genome Project (HGP) The final version of the human genome sequence was published in 2003 We now know the human genome has around 3 billion nucleotides and somewhere between 20K and 25K genes

Genetics and society

Impact of genetics today
Information from the HGP is being used in a large variety of new projects many of which involve research for curing or preventing diseases The study of the human genome and other complete genomes gave rise to the field of genomics An entire genome can be screened using microarrays, a.k.a. DNA chips

Genetics and society

Impact of genetics today
Biotechnology is another way in which genetics impacts everyday s life Products and services based on recombinant DNA technology are wide spread in today s world Products are found in
Drugstores Grocery stores Hospitals Places related to the chemical industry Hospitals and pharmaceutical industry The justice system Farmers NGOs Private citizens

Services are provided/used by

A human perspective on genetics

Objectives revisited: explain How genetics developed as a discipline What genes are, the basic way they work, and how they are transmitted from parents to offspring Methods employed to study genes The many ways in which the eugenics movement has had an impact on society The impact on our lives of biotechnology and the Human Genome Project

Homework for Lab 01