Genetics
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Genetics (frae the Auncient Greek γενετικός genetikos meanin "genitive"/"generative", in turn frae γένεσις genesis meanin "oreegin"),[1][2][3] a field in biology, is the science o genes, heredity, an variation in livin organisms.[4][5]
The faither o genetics is Gregor Mendel, a late 19t-century scientist an Augustinian freear. Mendel studied "trait inheritance", patterns in the wey traits are haundit doun frae paurents tae affspring. He observed that organisms (pease plants) inherit traits bi wey o discrete "units o inheritance". This term, still uised the day, is a somewhit ambiguous definition o whit is referred tae as a gene.
Trait inheritance an molecular inheritance mechanisms o genes are still primar principles o genetics in the 21st century, but modren genetics haes expaundit ayont inheritance tae studyin the function an behaviour o genes. Gene structur andfunction, variation, an distribution are studied within the context o the cell, the organism (e.g. dominance), an within the context o a population. Genetics haes gien rise tae a nummer o subfields, includin epigenetics an population genetics. Organisms studied within the broad field span the domeen o life, includin bacteria, plants, ainimals, an humans.
Genetic processes wark in combination wi an organism's environment an experiences tae influence development an behaviour, eften referred tae as naitur versus nurtur. The intracellular or extracellular environment o a cell or organism mey switch gene transcription on or off. A clessic ensaumple is twa seeds o genetically identical maize, ane placed in a temperate climate an ane in an arid climate. While the average hicht o the twa maize stauks mey be genetically determined tae be equal, the ane in the arid climate anerly growes tae hauf the hicht o the ane in the temperate climate due tae lack o watter an nutrients in its environment.