• Semester 1 (Day)

Pre-requisite: 62101+64001

Synopsis

The unit presents the scientific basis of heredity. The principles  of
genetics  play an increasingly important role in the modern world;  in
the  breeding  of  improved crops and livestock, the  conservation  of
endangered  species and the genetic engineering of  new  products  for
agriculture  or  medicine.  The unit commences  with  an  overview  of
Mendelian genetics and introduces concepts of importance to both plant
and  animal  breeding.  The theory and practice  of  manipulating  and
mapping  the  location  of genes on chromosomes  and  the  effects  of
mutations  on  gene  expression are studied. The  science  of  genetic
engineering  is briefly introduced. Changes in chromosome  number  and
structure  in  plants (eg evolution of wheat) and  animals  (eg  Downs
Syndrome)  are  examined  as  are the important  areas  of  population
genetics, evolution and behavioural genetics.