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Genetics, study of heredity in general and of genes in particular. Genetics forms one of the central pillars of biology and overlaps with many other areas, such as agriculture, medicine, and biotechnology. Learn more about the history, biology, areas of study, and methods of genetics.
gene, unit of hereditary information that occupies a fixed position (locus) on a chromosome. Genes achieve their effects by directing the synthesis of proteins . In eukaryotes (such as animals , plants , and fungi ), genes are contained within the cell nucleus .
Heredity, the sum of all biological processes by which particular characteristics are transmitted from parents to their offspring. The concept of heredity encompasses two seemingly paradoxical observations: the constancy of a species between generations and the variation among individuals within a species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an organic chemical that contains genetic information and instructions for protein synthesis. It is found in most of every organism. DNA is a key part of reproduction in which genetic heredity occurs through the passing down of DNA from parent or parents to offspring.
Human genetics, study of the inheritance of characteristics by children from parents. Human inheritance does not differ in any fundamental way from inheritance in other organisms. An understanding of human heredity is important in the prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that have a genetic component.
Mutation, an alteration in the genetic material (the genome) of a cell of a living organism or of a virus that is more or less permanent and that can be transmitted to the cell’s or the virus’s descendants. The genomes of organisms are all composed of DNA, whereas viral genomes can be of DNA or RNA.
Genetic engineering, the artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules to modify an organism. The term is generally used to refer specifically to methods of recombinant DNA technology.
Genetics - DNA, Genetic Code, Mutations: A major landmark was attained in 1953 when American geneticist and biophysicist James D. Watson and British biophysicists Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins devised a double helix model for DNA structure.
This article surveys the main categories of genetic disease, focusing on the types of genetic mutations that give rise to them, the risks associated with exposure to certain environmental agents, and the course of managing genetic disease through counseling, diagnosis, and treatment.
behaviour genetics, the study of the influence of an organism’s genetic composition on its behaviour and the interaction of heredity and environment insofar as they affect behaviour. The question of the determinants of behavioral abilities and disabilities has commonly been referred to as the “nature-nurture” controversy.