DNA and Genetics

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the molecule that serves as the fundamental blueprint for all living organisms, carrying the genetic instructions for their development, survival, and reproduction. This iconic double helix structure is organized into segments called genes, which are the basic units of heredity. Genetics is the scientific field dedicated to studying these genes, exploring how they determine traits, how they are passed from parents to offspring through inheritance, and how variations in their sequences contribute to the vast diversity of life. In essence, genetics deciphers the language of DNA to understand the core mechanisms of life and heredity.

1. Introduction to Genetics
   1. Historical Perspectives
      1. Ancient Theories of Inheritance
         1. Aristotelian Views on Heredity
         2. Early Agricultural Observations
         3. Preformation vs Epigenesis Debates
      2. Blending Inheritance Theory
         1. Darwin's Provisional Hypothesis
         2. Limitations and Problems
      3. Pangenesis and Early Hypotheses
         1. Darwin's Pangenesis Theory
         2. Lamarckian Inheritance
         3. Weismann's Germ Plasm Theory
      4. Gregor Mendel and the Foundation of Genetics
         1. Mendel's Background and Methodology
         2. Pea Plant Experiments
            1. Choice of Organism
            2. Controlled Crosses
            3. Statistical Analysis
         3. Laws of Inheritance
            1. Law of Segregation
            2. Law of Independent Assortment
         4. Rediscovery of Mendel's Work
            1. De Vries, Correns, and Tschermak
            2. Early 20th Century Acceptance
      5. Discovery of DNA as Genetic Material
         1. Friedrich Miescher's Nuclein
         2. Griffith's Transformation Experiment
            1. Smooth and Rough Pneumonia Strains
            2. Transforming Principle
         3. Avery-MacLeod-McCarty Experiment
            1. Identification of DNA
            2. Enzyme Treatments
         4. Hershey-Chase Experiment
            1. Bacteriophage Studies
            2. Radioactive Labeling
      6. Chromosomal Theory of Inheritance
         1. Sutton-Boveri Hypothesis
         2. Walter Sutton's Observations
         3. Theodor Boveri's Sea Urchin Studies
         4. Thomas Hunt Morgan's Drosophila Work
            1. White-Eye Mutation
            2. Sex-Linked Inheritance
            3. Genetic Mapping
   2. Fundamental Concepts
      1. Genes and Alleles
         1. Definition of a Gene
         2. Molecular vs Classical Gene Concepts
         3. Allelic Variation
         4. Multiple Alleles
      2. Genetic Loci
         1. Chromosomal Location
         2. Gene Mapping
         3. Synteny
      3. Genotype and Phenotype
         1. Genotype Definition
         2. Phenotype Definition
         3. Genotype-Phenotype Relationship
         4. Environmental Influences
      4. Dominance Relationships
         1. Complete Dominance
         2. Incomplete Dominance
         3. Codominance
         4. Overdominance
      5. Zygosity
         1. Homozygous Genotypes
         2. Heterozygous Genotypes
         3. Compound Heterozygotes