Impact of Molecular Genetics on Biology

The assignment content discusses the importance of molecular genetics in biology, particularly in the area of genetic variation. The development of techniques such as protein electrophoresis and DNA sequencing has allowed researchers to examine genetic variations in wild populations and understand their roles in shaping population and species. The content also highlights the limitations of these techniques and how they have led to debates in the field. Additionally, it discusses the uses of genetics in conservation biology and the importance of genetic variation in understanding the adaptation and extinction of species.

For the last 40 years, very important contribution has made by the area of molecular genetics in
the field of biology which includes: conservation biology, population genetics and systematics.*
From those days, development of various types of techniques are helping us in finding and
describing measure of genetic varieties. However, protein electrophoresis is the most important
among these early techniques. With the emergence of protein electrophoresis in the 1960s, the
examination ability of variations in genetics in wild populations or natural leads to an era in the
area of genetic. It became possible for the researchers to examine theories and predictions
regarding both the levels and sustaining genetic variation for natural inhabitants.
As a result of the data about the study of these early proteins, many debates are fueled due to this
which are still going on (e.g. the neutralist/selectionist debate). In order to shape population as
well species, first it is important for us to understand from the data about their roles. Though the
process of protein electrophoresis is very helpful in various cases, but it also has few limitations.
Perhaps, the most recognized is that among all the variations existing in individuals this
technique is able to recognize about one-third, that is because of the dismissal of the genetic code
and the technique’s power of resolving. Numerous methods have been searched by many
researchers for way which observed the high variations carried at the level of nucleotide due to
the limitations. Almost a decade later the capability in determining the real base pair order of
genetic code itself, via sequencing of DNA, showed the way to further progress in molecular
genetics and the research in going on for variation in genetics. However, just after the
development of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the middle of the 1980, the studies based on
sequence became universal.
Actually, today various protocols and methods depend largely on the technique of PCR. It
become possible for the researchers to avoid the limitations connected with the method of protein

electrophoretic by sequencing DNA mentioned above, and new perception has been given in the
evolution of genes and the code of genetic itself. With the help of DNA sequences, we can also
dictate phylogenetic connections of species with growing confidence and resolution and also
providing us new details about relationships amongst alleles at a locus. It is giving us the
capability in examining a temporal aspect (i.e. the mutation and persistence of alleles with time)
so it is a significant area in genetics population in today’s date that was impossible earlier (i.e.
with allozyme-base approaches).
Uses of genetics
Genetic data is helpful in interpreting noticed patterns method under investigation and is
applicable in various places of research. * Genetic variation plays a major role for individuals,
populations or species in various respects. Firstly, it indicates how skillfully a specific species or
organism can habituate to changed made in the environment. There is a great risk of extinction of
species whose levels of genetic variations are low rather undetectable, as little fluctuations in the
environment can make them unable in evolving solutions. Species such as Cheetah (Acinonyx
jubatus) is a classic example having low level of genetic variation. Genetic variation levels are
very low in this species, probably because of the various critical population congestion in the
past. It happens to be so low that making skin grafts between the unattached individuals are
selected because the variation lacked at their MHC loci (O’ Brien et al., 1987). This fast and
critical declination in the number of their population results in leading inbreeding depression (the
reduction in growth, fertility of survival has often been observed after mating with relatives). The
growing levels of homozygosity and decreasing heterozygosity have been affected by the
inbreeding within populations. The authorities of conservation are mostly interested in these
values.

Accessing genetic variation level in a species permits in identifying distinct populations and
defining particular management units for the conservation (Moritz, 1994; Crandall et al., 2000a).
Like this, inhabitants of species who are genetically isolated can be freely managed by the
officials. When dollars for conservation are less, management units also help in choosing among
the different types of populations in order to preserve so thus the conservation plan represents
overall diversity.
Genetic variation
Genetic variation is the difference in DNA sequences between individuals within a population.
The total number of genetic characteristics in the species is called genetic diversity. Genetic
variations are the measures of difference in genes between the individuals and each possible
forms of gene are called allele. For example, a population with different types of alleles at a lone
chromosome locus contains high number of genetic variations. Genetic variation only can
expand or decline the allele’s frequency existing in the population as it is essential for natural
selection.
The causes of genetic variation are:
 Alteration
 Casual mating between organisms
 Fertilizing randomly
 Recombination between chromatids of homologous chromosomes at the time of meiosis
Alleles are reshuffled within a population because of the last three factors and gives
combinations of offspring differing from their parents and from others.