Genetics: The Mathematical Foundation of Inheritance

What is Mendelism and who is credited with its discovery?

A. A mathematical concept in genetics

B. An experimental technique in plant breeding

C. The laws of inheritance discovered by Gregor Mendel

D. The study of genetic mutations

Answer:

C. The laws of inheritance discovered by Gregor Mendel

Mendelism is the mathematical foundation of the science of genetics, laid down by Mendel, an Augustinian prelate.

Explanation: Mendelism, often referred to as the laws of inheritance discovered by Gregor Mendel, serves as the mathematical underpinning of modern genetics. Gregor Mendel, a 19th-century Augustinian friar and scientist, conducted groundbreaking experiments with pea plants, meticulously observing how traits are inherited from one generation to the next. In his experiments, Mendel formulated two fundamental principles: the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. The Law of Segregation states that each individual has two alleles for each trait, one inherited from each parent, and during gamete formation, these alleles segregate randomly so that each gamete receives only one allele for each trait. The Law of Independent Assortment, on the other hand, asserts that different traits segregate independently of one another during gamete formation, resulting in the diverse combinations of traits seen in offspring.

Mendel's work was revolutionary because it introduced a quantitative and mathematical approach to the study of heredity. His laws provided a framework for understanding how genetic information is passed from one generation to the next, laying the foundation for the science of genetics as we know it today. Mendel's discoveries paved the way for subsequent research in genetics, including the understanding of DNA and the mapping of the human genome.