Genetics is the study of heredity, the process by which characters are passed from parents to their offspring, so that all off springs resemble their parents.
The first Geneticists had mainly worked how characters are transmitted from parents to off springs and how genes act together to control variable traits such as length, height, coat color, flower color etc. They developed the central concept of genetics. According to this concept heredity is controlled by large number of genes that are located on the chromosomes. These are called hereditary vehicles. During 1930s beginning was made to apply biochemical and biophysical methods for the study of chemical nature of gene. This led to a new branch of genetics- Molecular Biology. This new approach led to the concept that genes are units of Biological information. The geneticists and molecular biologists are working together to understand the way in which biological information is stored in genes and how this information is made available to living cell for its maintenance and division.
The term Genetics was introduced by Bateson in 1906. It has been derived from the greek word gene, which means to become or to grow into. Therefore, Genetics is the science of coming into being. It deals with the transmission of characteristics from one generation to the next and also the action of hereditary units as they bring about the characteristics which they control.
Genetics is barely three quartes of a century old. The first marked pioneer and experimental work in this field was started by Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884), but it was established as a distinct branch in 1990, when Mendel�s findings were rediscovered by Devries, Correns and Tschermak.
Genetics in relation to other Science:
Science of genetics has occupied a key position among modern sciences. Its field of study extends from molecular to population levels. It exhibits direct or indirect relations with many branches of science, some of them are:
1. Genetics and Cytology- Our knowledge of structure of nucleus, nuclear components and finally the structure and properties of nucleic acids has helped in understanding the physical and physiochemical aspects of heredity. Two sciences are so closely associated that they jointly called Cytogenetics.
2. Genetics and Biochemistry- The chemistry of chromosomes, genes and nucleic acids and the chemistry of various processes related to them is studied with the help of biochemistry. This branch of science which is concerned with the biochemical study of genetic material is named as Biochemical genetics.
3. Genetics and Physiology- Genetics help in explaining some very important physiological characteristics like blood group, Rh factor, alkaptoneuria, sex differentiation and sex determination etc. Some physiological abnormalities like sickle cell anemia etc can be explained with the aid of genetic knowledge. Physiology also assists in explain the expression of genes or genetic factors.
And there are many more fields related to the genetics.
Practical application of genetics:
Genetics has many important practical applications which are of great value for human beings:
1. Improvements of Domestic animals
2. Improvement of crop plants
3. Genetics and medicines
4. Legal applications
5. Eugeneics- genetic principles used for improvement of human races.
