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Evolutionary genomics Genetic diversity of P. falciparum Evolution of hybrid incompatibilities Natural selection and protein evolution Evolution of novel gene functions Structure and sequence of the Drosophila genome Genome structure and evolution in D. virilis Cosuppression of transposable elements |
"What did Gregor Mendel think he discovered?"Gregor Mendel has a special place in the history of genetics. His experiments were beautifully designed. They were the first experiments to focus on the numerical relationships among traits appearing in the progeny of hybrids. His interpretation of the results was clear and concise. He proposed the existence of material hereditary elements (now called genes) that undergo segregation and independent assortment. Overshadowing the creative brilliance of Mendel's work is the fact that it was virtually ignored for 34 years. Only after the dramatic rediscovery in 1900-16 years after Mendel's death-was Mendel rightfully recognized as the founder of genetics. But some scientific historians regard this tale as a myth. They claim that the clarity of Mendel's experiments and their interpretation were imposed on Mendel's paper by the early geneticists in order to reinforce the belief that the laws of inheritance were obvious to anyone who looked carefully. Other historians assert that Mendel had no real interest in heredity but rather was interested in the role of hybrids in the formation of new plant species. For a spirited defense of the orthodox view, see the piece by Hartl and Orel below. (Vitezslav Orel was for many years the Director of the Mendel Museum at the Monastery of St. Thomas in Brno in the Czech Republic, where Mendel did his work.) For much more on the controversy, and on Mendel and his life and work, see http://www.mendelweb.org/.
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