Genetics and Evolution - Essay Example

?Genetics and Evolution In philosophy, the thought of where humans came from was deeply rooted in religion and thoughts concerning the natural world.Much was derived from religion and myth, often from the basis of creation stories involving the creation from supernatural beings. As new intellectual revolutions in science began to take place, early scientists began to search for reasons as to explain this phenomenon. Much of the first data that was gathered was based on natural observations due to the lack of scientific understanding as well as lack of analyzing technique. Some of the first scientists to pioneer into the field of modern genetics and evolution were Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin. Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk who is considered to be the father of modern genetics. Specifically, his intellectual curiosity stemmed from his technique and involvement in horticulture, specifically pea plants. He was interested in how the transmission of traits occurred not only in his pea plants, but in people as well. He used selective breeding techniques to track the traits as they were passed on from generation to generation. The reason that Mendel chose to study pea plants was due to the fact that pea plants are a model organism. The traits were easily observable (pea color, pea shape, stem length, etc.). He could also cultivate multiple generations quickly in order to collect his data regarding the experiments. From his data, he was able to show that the current theory of the time, blending theory, was incorrect. Unfortunately, most of his work and theory was not recognized until after his death (Edleson, 2001). The basis by which all rules in modern genetics are derived from are from the three laws that lay the foundation for genetic study: the law of dominance, the law of segregation, and the law of independent assortment. The law of dominance states that in genes, there are two copies. The gene that is expressed is dominant over the other and the one that is not shown is recessive. This was observed in the pea color of Mendel’s plants in that the yellow color was dominant and the green was recessive. The law of segregation states that during gamete formation, the pairs of genes will separate randomly and then will combine during fertilization. This is what produces the genetic variability in an organism. Lastly, the law of independent assortment states that the way in which genes are sorted during gamete formation is completely random and that they do not have an effect on one another during this process. These rules of genetics have remained unchallenged and are the fundamentals of understanding complex genetic theory (Griffiths, et. Al., 2008). Charles Darwin was a British naturalist who developed the modern theory of evolution. He specifically was interested in the way in which evolution occurred. The observations for his theory were a majority from his voyage to the Galapagos Islands on the HMS Beagle. He considered the Galapagos Islands to be a sort of “cradle of creation” in that the isolation of the island from humans allowed it to be a hot spot for ecological and evolutionary development. He collected many different specimens and fossils that he noticed were similar species. It was from this that he hypothesized that there was a mechanism by which evolution occurred and that this could be observed through studying the ecology of the region. He published his findings in the Origin of Species and was at first scrutinized for his theories, often being described as blasphemy against the notion of a scientific theory for creation. Never the less, Darwin’s theories regarding evolution became the groundwork for scientists today who are studying modern evolution (Greenberger, 2005). Darwin’s theory of evolution was based on the concept of natural selection and survival of the fittest. Natural selection states that based on the traits that are expressed by a species that some of them will allow greater adaptation to the environment than others. This adaptation makes the organism “more fit”. Thus, it will have greater reproductive success. Therefore, in the aspect of competing species in a specific ecosystem, those that are more suited for the environment will survive (Mayr, 2002). Gregor Mendel was able to lay down the foundations to describe inheritance. He was the scientist who discovered that traits are passed down in distinct units known as genes. Charles Darwin then added onto this theory about genetic inheritance, except he focused on a naturalistic perspective by observing animals in nature. Through his idea of natural selection, he surmised that there were traits that certain organisms had that made them “a better fit” for the environment. As a result, both of these individuals were able to lay foundation in order for the fields of epigenetics and modern evolution theory to take hold. Evolution and genetics are intertwined in that genetics can be used to help describe evolution. In specific populations, they share a collection of genes, which exist in a gene pool. Evolution and external control factors regulate the expression of these genes. Thus those organisms that are more fit will pass on their genes more successfully. This is also successfully mediated and explained by the Hard Weinberg Equation, which relates genetic frequency to the expression in a population. In addition, mutations in the genetic code cause variation in a population that can influence again the expression of a trait. In some cases, a mutation can provide organisms, which give them the advantage, or it could be a lethal mutation, which results in the death of the organism. Genetics and evolution are directly related to one another and are mutually inclusive. Scientists have taken these fundamental laws and knowledge of genetics and evolution and have used them to apply the knowledge to aspects that help our society. One of the ways this has been done is through breeding more resistant crops. It first took understanding how crops had developed and understanding why certain strains could live in harsher conditions. Then, genetics are used in order to isolate genes that control the processes, which make the crops resistant. Through genetic recombination techniques and technology, plants are genetically engineered to have these properties. As a result, this has benefited cultures and areas that live in harsh climates by providing crops, which can grow there; this can serve both to provide sustenance as well as a method of supporting the economy (Krebs, 2008). Genetic analysis has also allowed scientists to track and identify stages in human development. Through DNA analysis of related species and fossil record, scientists have been able to see how the genetic code has changed and can attribute changes in our physiology and behavior from the change in these genes. It also allows scientists to develop a model of evolution, which can be used to predict where human evolution will take us. This is also especially important in understanding the progression of genetic illnesses and learning how to eliminate them from the evolutionary patterns. The medical field has also benefited from understanding the genetics of illnesses and human development. There are many diseases and conditions, which are the result of genetic abnormalities. In the study of evolution, genetic mutations are known to occur that cause changes in genotypes and phenotypes. In the field of medicine, doctors and researchers have had to develop treatments and cures to address these genetic disorders. A majority of these illnesses can only be regulated as far as the symptoms that are produced. Gene therapy is a technique, which is used in order to help provide the correct coding for a mutation. In addition, genetic engineering is used to create some kinds of medication. One of the biggest applications of evolution and genetic technology in medicine is in the creation of insulin for diabetes patients (Rajan, 2003). It required scientists to first find a model organism that could be easily obtained and had a quick reproductive cycle. Next, they used gene therapy and extraction techniques in order to put the correct gene into the bacteria. The bacteria then begin to produce the insulin, which is then harvested and packaged as a medication. The application of these principles in the medical field has lead to many people’s lives being bettered. All of this incorporation of genetics and evolution has been combined to form a modern evolutionary synthesis theory. Genetic inheritance principles along with observations in taxonomy and morphology are used as evidence to describe this theory. Evolution is a gradual process in that changes in the gene pool and the movement of traits happens in small doses, rather than large explosive evolution episodes. It also places a higher emphasis on the role of the population rather than the importance of the individual. Modern evolutionary synthesis also makes use of phylogenetic trees in order to show development of species on a long term scale. The work of Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin has laid the foundation from, which our modern science has developed. They were the ones who conducted the initial research in genetics and evolution due to their observations and field notes. As science and technology have progressed, our society has been able to gain even greater more complex knowledge in regarding this knowledge. As a result, we have been able to take this theory and apply it to things in which we can use and benefit in human society. References Edelson, Edward. (2001) Gregor Mendel: And the Roots of Genetics. Oxford University Press. New York. Greenberger, Robert. (2005) Darwin and the Theory of Evolution. The Rosen Publishing Group. New York. Griffths, Anthony, Wessler, Susan, Lewontin, Richard. (2008) Introduction to genetic Analysis. 9th ed. W.H. Freeman and Company. New York. Krebs, Charles. (2008). The Ecological World View. University of California Press. Los Angeles. Mayr, Ernst. (2002) What Evolution Is. Basic Books. New York. Rajan, S. (2003) Genetics and Physiology of Microbes. Anmol Publications Pvt. New Dehli. Read More