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| Mendelian Genetics |
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| The biggest name in the entire history of genetics beyond any doubt is that of Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884). It was Mendel, more than any other scientist, who synthesized the basic principles of heredity into a body of knowledge that has formed the very core of modern genetics. It must be emphasised here that Mendel was not the original pioneer in the field of genetics. As with all other scientific achievements, many scientists before the period of Mendel had laid the foundation. However, it was Mendel who combined the ideas put forth by other scientists into a definite set of working principles that are acceptable even today. Like so many other discoveries by famous scientists, Mendel's ideas on the mechanism of inheritance did not gain any importance and his principle temporality died with him. Fortunately for science, three scientists, Hugo De Vries, Tschermarck and Correns rediscovered the ideas, when they obtained the same results in the experiments conducted by each one of them independently. The rediscovery of Mendelism brought new emphasis to the field of heredity and the modern science of genetics was born. The basic ideas and the conclusions drawn by scientists after this rediscovery came to be known as Mendelian Genetics. |
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| Mendel (1822-1884) was born in to the family of a poor peasant in Moravia, Austria. He received his school education with utmost difficulty due to poverty in the family. In 1843 he joined a church as a monk where in 1847 he became the abbot (head) of the monastery at Brunn, Austria (now called Bruno in Czechoslavakia). |
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| fig. 18.5 Gregor Johann Mendel |
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| In 1851 he went to University of Vienna to study natural history and mathematics, for two years. After his return he worked as a teacher in natural history and mathematics between 1856 and 1865. It was during this period that Mendel developed curiosity over the pattern of inheritance of characters from parent organisms to offspring. After careful thought, he designed breeding experiments in the pea plants. He carefully analysed the results, gave a mathematical interpretation and published them in 1866. However, unfortunately for Mendel, his results and conclusions could not convince the contemporary biologists. Mendel died in 1884 without knowing that he had laid the foundation for modern genetics. It was only in 1900, that Mendel's work was rediscovered and its significance was made known to the scientific world. Nevertheless, Mendel is now regarded as the 'father of modern genetics' for his significant and pioneering contributions to the field of genetics. |
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