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History of the development of genetics (briefly). The history of the development of genetics in Russia

Biology is a very voluminous science that encompasses all aspects of the life of every living being, beginning with the structure of its microstructures within the body and ending with a connection with the external environment and the cosmos. That is why there are a lot of sections in this discipline. However, genetics is one of the youngest, but promising and of particular importance today. It originated later than the others, but managed to become the most relevant, important and voluminous science, having its own goals, objectives and object of study. Consider the history of the development of genetics and what this branch of biology is.

Genetics: a subject and object of study

Its name was given to science only in 1906 at the suggestion of the Englishman Batson. Definition of it can be given the following: it is a discipline that studies the mechanisms of heredity, its variability in different species of living beings. Consequently, the main goal of genetics is to find out the structure of the structures responsible for the transmission of hereditary traits, and to study the very essence of this process.

The objects of study are:

  • plants;
  • Animals;
  • Bacteria;
  • Mushrooms;
  • human.

Thus, it covers all the kingdoms of living nature with attention, not forgetting one of the representatives. However, to date, the most researched are precisely single-celled protozoa, all experiments on genetics are conducted on them, as well as on bacteria.

To arrive at the results now available, the history of the development of genetics has passed a long and thorny path. In different periods of time, it was subjected to intensive development, then completely oblivious. However, in the end, still got a worthy place among the whole family of biological disciplines.

History of the development of genetics in brief

To characterize the main milestones of the formation of the branch of biology under consideration, one should turn to the not so distant past. After all, the origin of genetics takes from the XIX century. The official date of its inception as a completely separate discipline is 1900.

By the way, if we talk about the origins, we should note attempts to select plants, crossbreeding animals for a very long time. After all, farmers and cattle-breeders were engaged in this in the 15th century. It just was not from a scientific point of view.

Table "History of the development of genetics" will help to master its main historical moments of formation.

Development period Key findings Scientists
The initial (second half of the XIX century)

Hybridological researches in the field of plants (research of generations on an example of a kind of peas)

Gregory Mendel (1866)

The discovery of the process of meiosis and mitosis, the study of sexual reproduction and its significance for fixing and transmitting traits from parents to offspring Strasburger, Gorozhankin, Gertvig, Van Benevin, Flemming, Chistyakov, Valdeir and others (1878-1883).
Average (beginning-middle of XX century) This is the period of the most intensive growth of the development of genetic research, if we consider the historical era as a whole. A number of discoveries in the field of the genetic apparatus of the cell, its significance and mechanisms of work, the decoding of the structure of DNA, the development of methods for breeding and crossing, laying down all the theoretical foundations of genetics falls precisely on this period of time A lot of domestic scientists and geneticists from all over the world: Thomas Morgan, Navashin, Serebryakov, Vavilov, de Vries, Correns, Watson and Creek, Schleiden, Schwann and many others
The modern period (the second half of the 20th century and until today) This period is characterized by a number of discoveries in the field of microstructures of living beings: a detailed study of the structure of DNA, RNA, protein, enzymes, hormones and so on. The elucidation of the deep mechanisms of coding of features and their inheritance, the genetic code and its decoding, the mechanisms of translation, transcription, replication and so on. Of great importance are the daughter genetic sciences, which in this period formed a lot V. Elving, Noden and others

In the table above the history of the development of genetics is briefly displayed. Next, we will examine in more detail the main discoveries of different periods.

The main discoveries of the XIX century

The main works of this period were the work of three scientists from different countries:

  • In Holland, G. de Vries - a study of the features of inheritance of traits in hybrids of different generations;
  • In Germany K. Correns - did the same on the example of corn;
  • In Austria K. Cermak - repeated the experiments of Mendel on sowing peas.

All these discoveries were based on the works of Gregory Mendel, 35 years earlier, who conducted many years of research and recorded all the results in scientific works. However, these data did not arouse the interest of his contemporaries.

In the same period, the history of the development of genetics includes a number of discoveries on the study of human and animal gametes. It has been proved that certain features that are inherited are fixed without changes. Others are individual for each organism and are the result of adaptation to environmental conditions. The works were conducted by Strasburger, Chistyakov, Flemming and many others.

The development of science in the twentieth century

Since the official birth date is 1900, it is not surprising that it was in the XX century that the history of the development of genetics was made. The hybrid method of research, created by this time, allows you to slowly but surely get stunning results.

The creation of the latest achievements of technology makes it possible to look into microstructures - this further promotes genetics forward in development. So, were installed:

  • Structure of DNA and RNA;
  • Mechanisms for their synthesis and replication;
  • Protein molecule;
  • Features of inheritance and consolidation;
  • Localization of individual traits in chromosomes;
  • Mutations and their manifestations;
  • There was access to the management of the genetic apparatus of the cell.

Probably, one of the most important discoveries in this period was the decoding of DNA. This was done by Watson and Crick in 1953. In 1941, it was proved that the signs are encoded in protein molecules. From 1944 to 1970, the maximum discoveries were made in the field of structure, replication, and the significance of DNA and RNA.

Modern genetics

The history of the development of genetics as a science at the present stage is manifested in the intensification of its various directions. After all, today there are:

  • Genetic engineering ;
  • Molecular genetics;
  • Medical;
  • Population;
  • Radiation and others.

The second half of the XX century and the beginning of the XXI century for the discipline in question is usually considered a genomic era. After all, modern scientists interfere directly in the entire genetic apparatus of the body, learn to change it in the right direction, control the processes that occur there, reduce pathological manifestations, and stop them at the root.

The history of the development of genetics in Russia

In our country, the science in question began its intensive development only in the second half of the 20th century. The thing is that for a long time there has been a period of stagnation. This is the reign of Stalin and Khrushchev. It was in this historical era that there was a split in academic circles. TD Lysenko, who had power, stated that all research in the field of genetics is invalid. And she herself is not a science at all. Having enlisted the support of Stalin, he sent all the famous geneticists of that time to his death. Among them:

  • Vavilov;
  • Serebrovsky;
  • Koltsov;
  • Chetverikov and others.

Many were forced to adapt to Lysenko's demands to avoid death and continue research. Some emigrated to the US and other countries.

Only after leaving Khrushchev's post, genetics in Russia gained freedom in development and intensive growth.

Domestic scientists-genetics

The most significant discoveries that this science can be proud of are also those that were realized by our compatriots. The history of the development of genetics in Russia is connected with such names as:

  • Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov (the doctrine of plant immunity, the law of homologous series, and so on);
  • Nikolai Konstantinovich Koltsov (chemical mutagenesis);
  • NV Timofeev-Resovsky (the founder of radiation genetics);
  • VV Sakharov (nature of mutations);
  • M.E. Lobashev (author of methodical manuals on genetics);
  • A. S. Serebrovsky;
  • KA Timiryazev;
  • NP Dubinin and many others.

This list can be continued for a long time, because at all times Russian minds were great in all branches and scientific fields of knowledge.

Directions in Science: Medical Genetics

The history of the development of medical genetics originates much earlier than general science. After all, in the XV-XVIII centuries, the phenomena of transmission by inheritance of such diseases as:

  • Polydactyly;
  • hemophilia;
  • Progressive chorea;
  • Epilepsy and others.

The negative role of incest in maintaining the health and normal development of offspring was established. Today, this section of genetics is a very important area of medicine. After all, it is he that allows to control manifestations and to kill many genetic mutations even at the stage of fetal embryonic development.

Human Genetics

The history of the development of human genetics originates much later than general genetics. After all, it was possible to look inside the chromosome apparatus of people only with the use of the most modern technical devices and research methods.

Man became the object of genetics, first of all from the point of view of medicine. However, the basic mechanisms of inheritance and transmission of signs, fixation and manifestation of them in offspring for humans are no different from those of animals. Therefore, it is not necessary to use the person to study the object.

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