2. Basic Transmission Genetics

Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior (EEB 122)

Genetic transmission is the mechanism that drives evolution. DNA encodes all the information necessary to make an organism. Every organism's DNA is made of the same basic parts, arranged in different orders. DNA is divided into chromosomes, or groups of genes, which code for proteins. Asexually reproducing organisms reproduce using mitosis, while sexually reproducing organisms reproduce using meiosis. Both these mechanisms involve duplication of DNA, which then gets passed to offspring. RNA is a key component in the duplication of DNA.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction
01:29 - Chapter 2. Structure of DNA and Genetic Material
12:51 - Chapter 3. DNA Replication and Its Implications
25:56 - Chapter 4. Mendel's Laws
33:08 - Chapter 5. Mutations and Their Consequences

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2009.