Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 11.1 A brief history of the gene concept. The following abbreviations are used:
I
informational aspect;
E
energetic aspect;
WC
Watson-Crick;
IDSs
intracellular dissipative structures (e.g., the Ca
++
ion gradient in the cytosol); “
¼>
” signifies “leads to,” “indicates,” or “causes”; + explained;
unexplained
Year
Author(s)
Key events and ideas
I
E
1. 1865
G. Mendel (1822-1884)
A
factor
that conveys traits from parent to offspring was hypothesized to exist in
pea plant seeds
+
-
2. 1868
C. Darwin
(1809-1882)
The
pangenesis
hypothesis was proposed as a possible mechanism for
inheritance. Body cells were postulated to shed
gemmule
which collected in
the reproductive organs before fertilization. Through gemmule, every cell's
influence was thought to be transmitted from the parent to the offspring
+
-
3. 1886
H. de Vries (1848-1935)
The smallest particle representing one hereditary characteristic was named
pangene
+
-
4. 1903
W. Johannsen
(1857-1927)
The terms
genotype
and
phenotype
were introduced
+
1909
The term
gene
was coined in opposition to
pangene
derived from Darwin's
pangenesis hypothesis
5. 1910
T. H. Morgan
(1866-1945)
Genes occupy specific locations on chromosomes. The
beads on a string
model of
genes
+
6. 1941
G. W. Beadle
Mutations in genes were found to cause errors in specific steps in metabolic
pathways, which led to the
one-gene-one-enzyme hypothesis
+
E. L Tatum
7. 1943
E. Schr
odinger
(1887-1961)
€
The gene is a molecule capable of encoding genetic information and of executing it
to form an organism
+
+
8. 1944
O. Avery
DNA
carries genetic information
+
C. M. MacLeod
M. McCarthy
9. 1953
J. D. Watson
The
DNA
double helix was discovered, which suggested possible molecular
mechanisms underlying inheritance
+
F. Crick
10. 1958
F. Crick
The central dogma was proposed: DNA
¼>
RNA
¼>
proteins
¼>
function
+
11. 1961
F. Crick
The
triplet genetic code
was discovered
+
S. Brenner
Others
(continued)
