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Evolution and Genetics

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Evolution and Genetics

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anime.fan.20100610
Copyright
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Evolution & Genetics

Topics
Evolution Genetics
● What is Evolution?
● Gregor Mendel - who was he?
● What is a Species?
● Medel : Many Peas in a Pod
● Old (pre-Darwin) ideas about origins,
● “Traits”, Inheritance and Heredity
life and evolution
● Dominant and Recessive Traits
● Charles Darwin - who was he?
● What is a Gene?
● Darwin : Finches, Tortoises, Galapogas
● Cells / Chromosomes / Genes/ DNA
● “Variation” and “Natural Selection”
● Cell Replication and Mutation
● “Survival of the Fittest”
● Connecting Evolution and Genetics
● The Tree of Life
● Summary
● Human Evolution
● What Darwin did NOT know
What is “Evolution”?

“The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to


have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the
earth.”

“the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a


more complex form”

Evolution explains how species are formed

Evolution explains the diversity of life on earth


What is a “Species”?
“The largest group in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or
mating types can produce fertile offspring”

● Mules are
All dogs are in the Infertile
same species ● HORSES and
DONKEYS
are different
species
Pre-Darwin Theories
Creationism :
- Divine origin of life.
- Example - Adam and Eve
- Religious and Mythology
backgrounds
- “Intelligent Design”

Lamarckism :
- “Use and disuse” theory
- Animals adapt to their
surroundings
- Example: A giraffe’s neck Jean Baptiste Lamarck
ABOUT CHARLES DARWIN
- Father of Evolution
- 1809 - 1882
- Biologist and Naturalist
- Trained as a priest
- Undertook a 5 year voyage (1831-1836)
- Collected thousands of specimens
- Visited Galapogas islands
- Formulated evolution theory from findings
- Wrote “Origin of Species”
- Got into trouble for going against the Bible
Galapogas Islands
- Group of islands off the coast of Ecuador
- Plants, birds and reptiles had developed in
isolation from the mainland
- However they differed from one another
based on the island they were in
- Finches evolved different beaks based on
available food types on an island
- Tortoises domes were different based on
food source
Finches and Tortoises

These variations can only explained by evolution by natural selection


Key Concepts of Darwinian Evolution

“Variation” :
- Modification in an organism, deviating from other organisms of the same species or group
- Happens randomly in a population

“Survival of the Fittest” :


- Organisms best adjusted to their environment are the most successful in surviving and
reproducing
- Their variations are passed onto future generations

“Natural Selection” :
- the process through which populations of living organisms adapt and change.
Human Evolution
What Darwin did NOT Know

“Variation” :
- Modification in an organism, deviating from other organisms of the same species or group
- Happens randomly in a population
- BUT HOW DO THESE VARIATIONS OCCUR ?

“Survival of the Fittest” :


- Organisms best adjusted to their environment are the most successful in surviving and
reproducing
- Their variations are passed onto future generations
- BUT HOW ARE THEY PASSED ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS ?
What is “Genetics”?

“Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in


organisms.”

Genetics explains how variations (aka mutations) occur

Genetics explains how variations are passed on across


generations (aka heredity)
ABOUT GREGOR MENDEL
- Father of Genetics (1822- 1884)
- A monk in Austria
- Loved gardening
- Experimented with peas for seven years
- Wrote “"Experiments on Plant
Hybridization"” after that
- Came up with the rules of genetics
- Did NOT know about evolution
- Did NOT know about cells / chromosomes /
DNA / genes etc - that came later
MENDEL’S FINDINGS
1. Organisms have discrete factors that
determine its features (e.g. color) (these
‘factors’ are now recognised as genes)
2. Organisms possess two versions of each
factor (these ‘versions’ are now recognised as
alleles) (one from each parent)
3. Each gamete (i.e. sperm / egg) contains only
one version of each factor
4. Parents contribute equally to the inheritance
of offspring as a result of the fusion between
randomly selected egg and sperm
5. For each factor, one version is dominant over
another and will be completely expressed if
present
HUMAN EYE COLORS
CELLS , CHROMOSOMES, GENES, DNA
CELL DIVISION

● Cell division happens all the time


● On average, a cell divides once
a day
● Each daughter cell should be an
exact copy of the parent
● Sometimes mistakes happen
(random copying errors)
● Causes MUTATION
● MUTATION -> VARIATION
● If Mutation is in “germline”
(egg/sperm), it is inherited
CONNECTING EVOLUTION & GENETICS

● Evolution is caused by mutation


in genes passed over
generations
● For example, changes in genes
(aka “genotype”) changes the
shape of the beaks (aka
“phenotype”)
● Eventually, the changes in one
species form a new species
● And so on ….
● Leads to the Tree of Life
SUMMARY
● Evolution and Genetics are two sides of the same coin
● Charles Darwin established that
○ Natural variations occur in populations
○ They happen randomly
○ Beneficial variations are preserved and passed on through generations
○ Over time, new species are formed
○ All life on earth is connected
● Gregor Mendel and genetics showed how
○ Evolution works
○ Individual features (“traits”) and passed from one generation to next
○ Variations occur by mutation
● Additional Reading / Watching
○ “Short History of Nearly Everything” - by Bill Bryson
○ “Cosmos” (Episode 2) - presented by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
THANKS!
Do you have any questions?
Surbhi Sakshi
[email protected]

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