In Module One, you learned Mendels Laws of Segregation and Independent Assortment. Mendel did not know that his hypothesized units were genes or that the factors he referred to were alleles of chromosomes. Later, Sutton and Boveri observed the importance in chromosomes in meiosis and development of the organisms. We now know that our genetic information is contained in our chromosomes and we inherit variations of chromosomes from our parents during meiosis and upon fertilization. We will discuss how meiosis supports Mendels observations and his laws.
Read this short web page Genetics and Genomics Timeline (Links to an external site.). (2004). Consider how our understanding of mitosis and meiosis has evolved.
1. Do you think Mendel was the first person to consider inheritance?
2. What evidence suggests he was or was not the first?
3. Do you think todays chromosomal observation techniques continue to support Mendels laws? Why or why not?
N.B, make sure to clearly distinguish between Mendels first and second laws.
Reference
http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/resources/timeline/1902_Boveri_Sutton.php