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Lecture 01 – Genetics & Genomics: An IntroductionBased on Chapter 1 – Genetics: An introduction

What is Genomic Biology?

• Genomic biology is the scientific study of organismal genomes.

• A genome is the full complement of genetic information found in an organism, i.e. all of the genes of an organism.

• This links the beginnings of Genomic Biology and the beginnings of Genetics.

• A genome, is also the full complement of DNA in an organism.

Modern Genetics & Genomics – The foundation of Genomic Science.

Genetics & Genomics work has included:

• Analyzing evolutionary processes.

• Analyzing heredity in populations.

• Identifying genes that control steps in processes.

• Mapping genes.

• Obtaining the DNA sequence of genes and whole genomes.

• Determining products of genes.

• Analyzing molecular features of genes and regulation of gene expression.

Classical and Modern Genetics – Milestones• Mendel first describes “gene” (1866)• Chromosomal theory of interitance & mapping

techniques (1911)• Genetic material is DNA (1944)• DNA structure prediction (1953)• Berg (1972) - first recombinant DNA molecule in

vitro.• Boyer and Cohen (1973) - cloning of a

recombinant DNA molecule.• Mullis (1986) - polymerase chain reaction

(PCR).• Genomic sequencing of many viruses and

organisms.• Powerful new techniques in genetics raise

important ethical, legal, and social issues that will need thoughtful solutions.

http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/resources/timeline/

2. The Subdisciplines of Genetics & Genomics

• The subdisciplines of genetics:– Transmission (classical) genetics – Molecular genetics– Population genetics – Quantitative genetics

• Historically, transmission genetics developed first, followed by population, quantitative, and finally molecular genetics, the predecessor of genomics

• The subdisciplines of genomics:– Structural genomics– Comparative genomics– Functional genomics

Genomic Databases

• Genomic databases have become more sophisticated as computer analysis tools have been developed.

• The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) has an important website

• We will utilize the NCBI web site extensively for our laboratories (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

• NCBI includes the following bioinformatic tools:

• PubMed• OMIM• BLAST

• GenBank• Entrez • Protein Structure Database

Genetic Maps

Organisms for Genetic and Genomic Research

• Desirable qualities for an experimental organism include:– A well-known genetic history.– A short life cycle so that

generations can be studied in a relatively short time.

– A large number of offspring from each mating.

– Ease of growing and handling the organism.

– Marked genetic variation within the population.

Organisms for Genetic and Genomic Research - Eukaryotes

Organisms for Genetic Research Prokaryotes

Alternative Views on Prokaryotes

The Tree of Life web project, presents a view on there being 3 major domains of life. – Bacteria (or Eubacteria) – traditionally part of Prokaryota– Archea (or Archebacteria) – traditionally part of Prokaryota– Eukaryota

Click on the left figure above* to go to the Tree of Life (TOL) web page.– then examine the “roots” of the TOL using the link provided

Click on the right figure above* to go to the UC Museum of Paleontology web page.– Then examine the bacteria, archea, and Eukaryota branches in the figure.

* If you downloaded the ppt from Blackboard, click on the link in the study guide instead of the figure.