The Hippocratic treatise : On the Seed
HIPPOCRATES
Male seed is thicker or more solid while the
female is more fluid.
“Fluids & Vapors” Theory
ARISTOTLE
The vital heat fluid– SEMEN was regarded as
highly purified blood.
PYTHAGORAS
Vapors were from various organs unite to
form individuals.
The Theory of Preformation
JAN SWAMMWEDAM – Dutch scientist
He theorized that sex cells contain a
complete miniatures of an adult, perfect in
every form, called a “homunculus”
WILLIAM HARVEY AND EPIGENESIS
An organism is derived from substances
present in the egg that differentiate into
adult structure during embryonic
development.
DISAPPROVED the Theory of
Preformation
CASPER WOLFF – German scientist
He offered experimental evidence that no
preformed embryo existed in the egg of the
chicken.
The Particulate Inheritance Theory
PIERRE LOUIS MAUPERTUIS
He proposed that minute particles, one from
each body part, united in sexual
reproduction to form a new individual.
Eugenics Movement
1910's-30's The eugenics movement is
popular, fueling racist sentiment and leading
to involuntary sterilization laws
The Theory of Pangenesis
Charles Darwin
He noted that each part of the body
produced minute particles “gemmules” or
“pangenes” which were contained in the
blood of the entire body but eventually
concentrated in the reproductive organs. The
individual represents “blending” of both
parents and acquired characters would be
inherited, too.
DISAPPROVED the Theory of Pangenesis
AUGUST WEISMANN – German biologist
His experiment was the 22nd generation of
mice where the tails of the parents were cut.
Need to prove the absence of tails to
offspring.
Findings: The new lot of offspring consisted
of tails.
GREGOR MENDEL – “The Father”
The father of modern genetics. Used
statistics to explain genetic events. Four
Postulates
Unit Factors in Pairs Segregation
Dominance/Recessiveness Independent
Assortment Assortment
RIEDRICH MIESCHER
DNA (first called "nuclein") as an acidic
substance found in cell nuclei. The
significance of DNA is not appreciated for
over 70 years.
WILLIAM BATESON
The word "genetics" is coined
First experiments on Quantitative Traits in
Broad Beans by WILHELM JOHANSSEN
and in wheat by HERMAN NILSSON-EHLE
Thomas Morgan and the white eyes
genes are carried on chromosomes and the
mechanical basis for heredity. He conducted
the experiments on the Drosophila (fruit
flies)
The phenomenon of crossing over.

MODERN GENETICS
Transformation
1928 Some component of heat-killed virulent bacteria can "transform"
a non-virulent strain to become virulent, as shown by FRED GRIFFITH.
This sets the stage for work done in 1944.
Heat-killed S cells (ALIVE)
Live S cells (DEAD)
Live R cells (ALIVE)
Live R cells + Heat-killed S cells (DEAD)
DNA is the genetic material

KARL LANDSTEINER and the ABO Blood types

Genetic Recombination
1931 - Genetic recombination is caused
by a physical exchange of chromosomal
pieces, as shown in corn by HARRIET
CREIGHTON AND BARBARA
MCCLINTOCK
One gene: One protein
1941 - One gene encodes one protein, as
described by GEORGE BEADLE AND
EDWARD TATUM
DNA is Double Helix
1953 - DNA is in the shape of a double
helix with antiparallel nucleotide chains
and specific base pairing. This was
deduced by WATSON AND CRICK, who
used Rosalind Franklin's data provided by
MAURICE WILKINS
DNA is semi - conservative
1958 - DNA replication is semi-
conservative, as shown by MESELSON
AND STAHL using equilibrium density
gradient centrifugation.
Restriction Enzyme
1970 The first restriction enzyme is
purified by HAMILTON SMITH.
Recombinant DNA Technology
1972-73 Recombinant DNA is first
constructed by COHEN AND BOYER
DNA Sequencing Technology
1977 - DNA sequencing technology is
developed by FRED SANGER.
In DNA, there are equal amounts of A and
T, and equal amounts of C and G, as
shown by ERWIN CHARGAFF
The Blender Experiment
1952 1952 - DNA is the molecule that
mediates heredity, as shown in
bacteriophage labeling experiments by
AlLFRED HERSHEY AND MARTHA
CHASE
Quest for the Genomes:
Challenge for Modern Genetics
1990's Genome projects are begun. The
yeast genome is complete in 1996, and
the C. elegans genome is done in 1998.
1990's DNA microarrays are invented by
PAT BROWN AND colleagues.
1990's DNA fingerprinting, gene therapy,
and genetically modified foods come
onto the scene.
1995 Automated sequencing technology
allows genome projects to accelerate.
1996-7 The first cloning of a mammal
(Dolly the sheep) is performed by IAN
WILMUT AND colleagues, from the
Roslin institute in Scotland.
2000 The Drosophila genome is
completed. The Arabidopsis genome is
completed. The human genome is
reported to be completed.
2001 The sequence of the human
genome is released, and the "post-
genomic era" officially begins.
2009 Controversies continue over
human and animal cloning, research on
stem cells, and genetic modification of
crops.