CONCEPT OF GENE

Introduction to the Modern Concept of Gene:

Mendel while explaining the result of his breeding experiment pointed out
that the hereditary characters were governed by some particulate genetic
determiners present in the germ cells. The genetic determiners of heredity
characters are now called ‘genes’. The term gene was coined by Johannsen
(1909). De Vries used the term ‘pangen’ and perhaps, from this word the
term gene was derived.
 Definition of Genes:
As both the operation and the physicochemical nature of gene are not known clearly,
the gene can be defined best in terms of its effects. Efforts to formulate theoretical
models or hypothesis of gene action have resulted in highly divergent opinions.
There are two schools of thought which define genes in different ways:
(i) According to one school of thought, the specific molecule of genie material
controls each character.
The exponents of this school are Dobzhansky (1955) and Beadle (1955).
(ii) The other school under the leadership of Goldschmidt holds the view that the
interactions between all the components of genome are responsible for the
manifestation of characters.
“One gene hypothesis”
Earlier it was believed that one gene makes one protein;
the “one gene hypothesis”. This concept has undergone a
sea change. This happened after it was found that genes
were not single units but a long continuum and there was
the concept of alternative splicing and trans-splicing. This
meant that genes could split into fragments each coding
for different proteins.

By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD
The Gene as a Unit of Function (Cistron):
The first link between a gene and gene product was established in 1909 when A.E.
Garrod suggested that the gene product was a protein. This hypothesis ‘one gene-one
protein’ was largely ignored until around 1940 when it was conclusively demonstrated
by Beadle and Tatum (1941) that the genes directed the protein synthesis.
Encouraged by this link between gene and protein, investigators worked out the
mechanisms by which information in DNA was translated into the structure of protein.
Soon it became clear that DNA is first transcribed into RNA, which is subsequently
translated into protein.
Garrod as well as some other investigators suggested that genes produce proteins that
act as enzymes. One gene-one enzyme hypothesis has been interpreted in different
ways.
Gene represents a particular sequence of nucleotides along DNA molecule (or occasionally RNA in
certain viruses) that acts as a unit of inheritance. Since gene forms a messenger RNA molecule it can
be said one gene-one messenger RNA. But in prokaryotes several genes form a single mRNA
(polycistronic gene).
The concept expressed as one genes one protein has now been changed to one gene-one polypeptide,
since an enzyme or a protein may contain one or more polypeptides. Stahl had defined gene as a
polynucleotide sequence of DNA controlling the expression of a particular trait.
The gene as a unit of function thus represents a segment of DNA molecule and consists of a linear
sequence of nucleotides which controls some cellular function.
The number of nucleotides in a gene may vary in different organisms. In Escherichia coli the cistron
may contain 1500 base pairs but in some others it may contain as many as 30,000 nucleotides. Each
cistron is responsible for coding one mRNA molecule which in tum codes for a polypeptide chain
(enzyme or protein).
A cistron may have hundreds of units of mutation (mutons) and units of recombination (recons)
within it. Therefore, cistrons occupy much greater area in chromosome as compared to mutons and
recons.
Gene as the Unit of Recombination (Recon):
The classical studies on the genetics of Drosophila indicated that gene was
the shortest segment of chromosome controlling phenotypic characters
which could be separated from its adjacent segments during crossing over,
i.e., the genes were those parts of chromosomes between which crossing
over was possible and the crossing over was not supposed to take place
within the gene.
But recent studies based on the tests for recombination in viruses have
shown that in viral DNA strand crossing over could occur not only
between the genes but also within the genes. One of the sub-units of gene
has been called recon. It is the smallest unit capable of genetic
recombination. Recombination studies on microbes indicate that
structurally recon may have one or two pairs of nucleotides.
The Gene as a Unit of Mutation (Muton):
Gene has also been defined as an unit of mutation. The smallest chromosomal unit
capable of undergoing mutation has been called the muton. At molecular level a
muton consists of one or many pairs of nucleotides within the DNA molecule.
Mutation thus may be caused by a change in one or more nucleotides in the DNA
molecule.
Muntzing (1961) defines a gene as small segment of chromosome having a unitary
biochemical function and specific effect on the properties of individual. According to
him the genes may also occur in the cytoplasmic bodies that are sometimes associated
with chromosomes or even sometimes occurring free in the cytoplasm.
 Identification of Genetic Material:
For understanding the nature of genes it is necessary to know the chemical and
physical nature of genetic material. At the moment most of our knowledge about this
comes from the studies on fungi, bacteria and viruses. Here everybody seems
generally agreed on the fact that the genetic materials of lower organisms are similar
to those of higher ones.
1. It must contain all the information’s regarding cell structure, function, development and
reproduction.
2. It must be able to replicate accurately so that the progeny cells inherit the same genetic features as
the parent cells.
3. It must be capable of undergoing variation through recombination and mutations and exist in infinite
forms, otherwise organisms would not be capable of change, and adaptations and evolution would not
be possible.
Much of the chemistry of the genetic material was known before its significance in the genetics was
recognised. In mid to late nineteenth century and early twentieth century scientists believed that the
genetic instructions from the nucleus were carried to the cytoplasm by protein molecules that were
folded into specific configuration.
Common name Species name No. of genes
Human H. sapiens 25,000
Mustard plant A. thaliana 27,000
Nematode worm C. elegans 20,000
Fruit Fly D. melanogaster 14,000
Baker’s yeast S. cereviciae 6,000
Gut bacterium E. coli 4,000