生物专业英语Lecture 5-Fundations of genetics.pdfVIP

Foundations of Genetics Mendel’s Law 1. Theories of inheritance • Early ideas of inheritance included the theory of pangenesis 泛生论 and August Weismands germ plasm theory 种质学说. • Based on experiments with mice, Weismann proposed that hereditary information in gametes transmitted traits to progeny. • Both of these early views incorporated the blending theory : they held that heritable traits of the two parents blend, so that the distinct characteristics of each are lost in offspring. Pangenesis 泛生论 • The word comes from the Greek words pan (a prefix meaning whole, encompassing) and genesis (birth) or genos (origin). • The pangenesis theory, proposed by Darwin, similarly to Hippocratess views on the topic, imply that the whole of Hippocrates parental organisms participate to heredity—thus the prefix pan--, while adapting to cell theory. • Much of Darwins model was speculatively based on inheritance of tiny heredity particles he called gemmules 泛粒 子that could be transmitted from parent to offspring. • Darwin emphasized that only cells could regenerate new tissues or generate new organisms. He posited that atomic sized gemmules formed by cells would diffuse and aggregate in the reproductive organs. Darwin Germ plasm theory 种质学说 • The term germ plasm was first used by the German biologist August Weismann. • Germ plasm theory states that multicellular organisms consist of germ cells that contain and transmit heritable information, and somatic cells which carry out ordinary bodily functions. • In the germ plasm theory, inheritance in a multicellular organism only takes place by