Genetics is the scientific study of heredity. Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk, is considered the father of genetics for his experiments breeding pea plants in the mid-1800s. Mendel discovered that traits are passed from parents to offspring through discrete units he called factors, now known as genes. His work established the principles of dominance, segregation, and independent assortment, which became the foundation of classical genetics.

1. Genetics

2. What is Genetics
 Genetics is the scientific study of
heredity.
 Heredity is what makes each
species unique.

3. Gregor Mendel
 Austrian Monk
 Famous for his work with pea plants
 He is known as the father of
genetics

4. Mendel’s Work
 Mendel used true-breeding plants which
means if they were left to breed with
themselves they would produce offspring
identical to themselves.
 Mendel studied 7 different traits in pea
plants.
 A trait is a specific characteristic that
varies from one individual to another.

5. The Principle of Dominance
 The principle of dominance states
that some alleles are dominant and
others are recessive.
 Dominant alleles are always
expressed.
 Recessive alleles are only expressed
if both alleles are recessive.

6. Probability & Genetics
 Probability is the likelihood that an
event will happen.
 The principle of probability can be
used to predict the outcomes of
genetic crosses.

7. Punnett Squares
 Diagram used to predict genetic
crosses.
 Individuals with identical alleles are
called homozygous
 Individuals with different alleles are
called heterozygous
 Phenotype – physical characteristic
 Genotype – genetic makeup

8. Mendel’s Principles
 The inheritance of biological
characteristics are determined by genes.
 For two or more forms of a gene,
dominance and recessive forms may
exist.
 Most sexually reproductive organisms
have two sets of genes that separate
during gamete formation.
 Alleles segregate independently.