Genetics is the scientific study of genes and heredity, which involves how certain qualities or traits are passed from parents to offspring as a result of changes in DNA sequence. A gene is a segment of DNA that contains instructions for building one or more molecules that help the body work. DNA is shaped like a corkscrew and makes up genes, which are spooled within chromosomes inside the nucleus of a cell. Genetics is an important branch of biology because heredity is vital to organisms evolution. Some key concepts in genetics include:
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Trait inheritance: Genetics studies how traits are passed down from one generation to the next.
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Molecular inheritance mechanisms: Genetics studies the mechanisms of genes at all levels, including the ways in which they act in the cell and the ways in which they are transmitted from parents to offspring.
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Gene structure and function: Genetics studies the structure and function of genes, variation, and distribution within the context of the cell, the organism, and within the context of a population.
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Medical genetics: This subfield of genetics seeks to understand how genetic variation relates to human health and disease.
Geneticists use diagrams and symbols to describe inheritance, and a gene is represented by one or a few letters. Genealogy, on the other hand, is the study of family origins and is not a biological science. The science of genetics began in the 1800s when Gregor Mendel figured out how most of the mechanisms of heredity work.
