Applications of genetics

Submitted To:

Dr shumaila naz

Submitted by :

Shahbano iqtedar

Registration no:

UW-18-BIS-BS-067

Department of Biosciences
Genetics
The scientific study of genes and their role in
inheritance. Genetics pertains to humans and
all other organisms. So, for example, there is human
genetics, mouse genetics, fruit fly genetics, etc.

 Human genetics today comprises a

number of overlapping fields,
including:Classical or formal
genetics -- the study of the transmission of
single genes within families and the analysis of
more complex types of inheritance.
 Clinical genetics -- the diagnosis, prognosis
and, in some cases, the treatment of genetic diseases.
 Genetic counseling -- an important area within clinical genetics involving the diagnosis, risk
assessment, and interpersonal communication.
 (Cancer genetics -- the study of genetic factors in inherited and sporadic cancer.
 Cytogenetics -- the study of chromosomes in health and disease.
 Biochemical genetics -- the biochemistry of nucleic acids and proteins including enzymes.
 Pharmacogenetics -- how genes govern the absorption, metabolism and disposal of drugs and
untoward reactions to them.
 Molecular genetics -- the molecular study of genetics including particularly DNA and RNA.
 Immunogenetics -- the genetics of the immune system including blood groups, HLA, and the
immunoglobulins.
 Behavioral genetics -- the study of genetic factors in behavior in health and disease including
mental retardation and mental illness.
 Population genetics -- the study of genes within populations including gene frequencies, the
gene pool, and evolution.
 Reproductive genetics -- the genetics of reproduction including genes and chromosomes in germ
cells and the early embryo.
 Developmental genetics -- the genetics of normal and abnormal development including
congenital malformations (birth defects). (Cancer genetics- The study of the genetic factors in
inherited and sporadic cancer)
 Ecogenetics -- the interaction of genetics with the environment.
 Forensic genetics -- the application of genetic knowledge, including DNA, to legal matters.
 Figure-1 (a) how genetics is related to other disciplines.

Applications of genetics
Every living thing on earth has DNA in its cells. A gene is a hereditary unit consisting of DNA that
occupies a spot on a chromosome and determines a characteristic in an organism. Genes are passed on
from parent to child and are believed by many to be an important part of what decides looks and
behavior

Applications of genetics in agriculture

 Genetics has very important role in agricultural improvement because its the basic science
behind plant breeding. without genetics and plant breeding we cant develop new hybrids and
varieties . For example Green revolution happened in India made our country self sufficient in
food grains production the main reason behind green revolution is introduction of semi dwarf
wheat varieties to India these varieties are resultants of genetics and plant breeding .
 Genetic manipulation is a process in which genes of desirable characters are taken from a plant
and transferred to another plant by the technique of hybridisation. Genetic manipulation helps
in obtaining desirable agronomic characters liked Dwarfness in cereals and tallness and profuse
branching in fodder crops.
 The contribution of genetics in the field of agriculture is remarkable in two ways, viz:
 (i) In the improvement of crop plants and
 (ii) In the improvement of domestic animals.
 (iii) Improvement of Crop Plants:
 Various principles and methods of genetics have been applied for the development of plants
useful to mankind. Controlled hybridization and artificial selection have increased usefulness of
many plants.
 Such applications include improvement in: yield, quality and Maturity duration . It also includes
Resistance to insects, diseases, salinity, drought, frost, lodging, etc. and Adaptability.

Improvement of Domestic Animals:

The usefulness of many domestic animals has been increased due to selective breeding. The milk
production in cows and buffaloes, meat production in sheep’s, goats and pigs and egg production
capacity in poultry have been significantly improved through the application of genetic principles.
Moreover, many improved breeds of pet animals like horse, dogs, cats, pigeon and rabbits have been
developed all over the world.

Figure- 1(b) Genetics and agriculture.

Applications of
genetics in Medicines
 Medical
genetics is
any

application of genetic
principles to medical
practice. This includes
studies of
inheritance, mapping
disease genes,
diagnosis and treatment, and genetic counseling. Pharmacogenetics is the study of how drugs
affect the body with respect to specific genetic backgrounds.
 Medical genetics is the specialty most targeted for providing services to people with genetic
diseases and their families. At present, efforts to important research aim to develop somatic
gene therapies to treat or prevent disease by blockage of their functions
 Medical genetics is the branch of medicine that involves the diagnosis and management of
hereditary disorders. ... Genetic medicine is a newer term for medical genetics and incorporates
 areas such as gene therapy, personalized medicine, and the rapidly emerging new medical
specialty, predictive medicine.
 an individual’s DNA may affect disease and health is the focus of genomic medicine. This
knowledge can lead to:
I. innovative ways to diagnose disease
ii. earlier detection, by identifying genetic predisposition to a particular ddisease new
approaches to trtreatment
iii. development of designer drugs that target a mutation or its products (pharmacogenomics) .
 Medical genetics is any application of genetic principles to medical practice. This includes
studies of inheritance, mapping disease genes, diagnosis and treatment, and genetic
counseling. Pharmacogenetics is the study of how drugs affect the body with respect to
specific genetic backgrounds.

Figure-2 medical genetics

Applications of genetics in Evolution

 Evolutionary genetics is the study of how genetic variation leads to evolutionary change. It
includes topics such as the evolution of genome structure, the genetic basis of speciation and
adaptation, and genetic change in response to selection within populations.
 Genes and, thus, the traits they code for, are passed from parent to offspring. From generation
to generation, well-understood molecular mechanisms reshuffle, duplicate, and alter genes in a
way that produces genetic variation. This variation is the raw material for evolution.
 Mutation plays an important role in evolution. The ultimate source of all genetic variation is
mutation. Mutation is important as the first step of evolution because it creates a new DNA
sequence for a particular gene, creating a new allele.
 New traits can also come from transfer of genes between populations, as in migration, or
between species, in horizontal gene transfer. Evolution occurs when these heritable differences
become more common or rare in a population, either non-randomly through natural selection
or randomly through genetic drift.
 Gene Flow. Evolution can also occur as a result of genes being transferred from one population
to another. This gene flow occurs when there is migration. The loss or addition of people can
easily change gene pool frequencies even if there are no other evolutionary mechanisms
operating.
 Figure-3 shows relation between genetics and evolution.

Applications of
genetics in
Taxonomy
 Genetic
characters
like

chromosome number and karyotypes are of taxonomic significance. Chromosome number helps
in classification of plants. For example, the genus Triticum to which wheat belongs has been
classified into three groups, viz., diploid, tetrapod and hexaploid
 the genus Gossypium to which cotton belongs has been classified on the basis of chromosome
number into two groups namely diploid and tetraploid. Karyotype suggests primitive or
advanced feature of an organism.
 A karyotype with large differences between the smallest and the largest chromosome of the set
is known as asymmetric karyotype. Such karyotype is considered relatively advanced when
compared with symmetrical karyotypes.
  The degree of chromosome homology is studied from chromosome pairing during meiosis. This
gives an idea about the relationship of parental species. Higher the homology, closer is the
relationship between the two species. Some species have B-chromosomes which help in the
identification of such populations.
 This include the need for evolutionarily valid species concepts when applying genetics to
taxonomy, a better understanding of how parthenogenesis may affect population genetic
structure, and increased use of DNA sequence data from nuclear gene regions.

Figure-4
shows the

relationshipof taxonomy with other disciplines.

Applications of genetics in Industries

  Genetic industries are those industries which are engaged in re-production and
multiplication of species of plants and animals with the sole objective of sale. These
industries are engaged in activities such as animal breeding, cattle breeding, etc.
Dairying is an example of genetic industry.
 Genetic Industries are such industries in which certain species of plants and animals are
multiplied and reproduced for the purpose of creating wealth .
 Examples of genetic industries are nurseries where plants are grown for the the sale;
poultry farm where birds are raised for meat and eggs; animal husbandry where cattle
are raised for milk and leather, and sheeps for meat and wool; pisciculture for growing
fish in ponds, canals and rivers; orchard to harvest different kinds of fruits; commercial
kernels; and agriculture or farming for growing crops. Such indusries depend on the
nature but require greater application of human skill.
 The dairy industry is making genetic improvements. Dairy producers have made rapid
genetic progress in recent years, with gains in milk, fat and protein production and a
transformation in the appearance of cows, each heavily influenced by decades of
genetic selection.
 Genetic progress declined in the late 1980s – the early days of genetic evaluations –
when there wasn’t much more than production traits to calculate indexes.
 Therefore too much emphasis was placed on milk production to the detriment of other
important areas that were negatively linked to production such as, fat and protein.
 But genetic progress has been accelerated in the past two or so decades, with the
industry’s ability to collect and process data providing the most accurate genetic
assessments in the history of cattle breed

Applications of genetics in forensic science

 Forensic genetic techniques are sometimes applied to DNA samples from nonhuman animals,
plants, and microorganisms. ... Forensic DNA tests have also been developed to identify the
source of cannabis samples, and the identification of a particular strain of moss has even been
used as evidence in a murder case.
 DNA profiling is a forensic technique in criminal investigations, comparing criminal suspects'
profiles to DNA evidence so as to assess the likelihood of their involvement in the crime. ... DNA
profiling has also been used in the study of animal and plant populations in the fields of zoology,
botany, and agriculture
 Advances in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) technology over the past 25 years have led to
spectacularly precise forensic identification techniques, although some applications have also
unleashed controversies regarding genetic privacy. Current molecular forensic work is pushing
these technologies even further by analyzing extremely damaged DNA and by introducing RNA
(ribonucleic acid) techniques to forensics.
  The use of genetics for the resolution of legal conflicts has recently been gaining a higher profile,
largely as a result of scientific and technological advancements and the substantial broadening
of applications. The theoretical framework underlying forensic genetics is the same irrespective
of the materials and technology involved, however a great divide still exists in the manner and
processes related to human and non-human analyses

Figure-5 Forensic science.

Applications of genetics in other fields

 In the modern world
genetics plays a part in more
dramatic
breakthroughs than
any other field of
biological study.
These breakthroughs have
an impact in a wide
variety of areas, from
curing diseases to growing
better vegetables to
catching criminals.
 The field of genetics is in the midst of a revolution, and at the center of this exciting (and, to
some minds, terrifying) phenomenon is the realm of genetic engineering.
 The alteration of genetic material by direct intervention in genetic processes. In agriculture, for
instance, genes are transplanted from one organism to another to produce what are known as
transgenic animals or plants.
 This approach has been used to reduce the amount of fat in cattle raised for meat or to increase
proteins in the milk produced by dairy cattle. Fruits and vegetables also have been genetically
engineered so that they do not bruise easily or have a longer shelf life.
  Not all of the work in genetics is genetic engineering per se; in the realm of law, for instance, the
most important application of genetics is genetic fingerprinting. A genetic fingerprint is a sample
of a person's DNA that is detailed enough to distinguish it from the DNA of all others.
 The genetic fingerprint can be used to identify whether a man is the father of a particular child
(i.e., to determine paternity), and it can be applied in the solving of crimes. If biological samples
can be obtained from a crime scene
 For example, skin under the fingernails of a murder victim, presumably the result of fighting
against the assailant in the last few moments of life—it is possible to determine with a high
degree of accuracy whether that sample came from a particular suspect.

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