Changes

==History==

==History==

By 1900 scientists knew that cells were the building blocks of life, and that all living things start as a single fertilized cell which keeps dividing. Scientists identified tiny threads in the nucleus  of the cells which were called [[chromosome]]s because they could be stained with colored dyes for microscopic study - from the [[Greek]] words for colored bodies. They could see that chromosomes came in pairs, and that human cells all contained 23 matching pairs. American biologist [[Walter Sutton]] knew [[Mendel's principles of genetics|Mendel's]] work on peas, and suggested that chromosomes held the secret of inheritance.

By 1900 scientists knew that cells were the building blocks of life, and that all living things start as a single fertilized cell which keeps dividing. Scientists identified tiny threads in the nucleus  of the cells which were called [[chromosome]]s because they could be stained with colored dyes for microscopic study - from the [[Greek]] words for colored bodies. They could see that chromosomes came in pairs, and that human cells all contained 23 matching pairs. American biologist [[Walter Sutton]] knew [[Gregor Mendel|Mendel's]] work on peas, and suggested that chromosomes held the secret of inheritance.

Another American biologist, [[Thomas Hunt Morgan]], developed the idea that chromosomes were made up of linked groups of factors called genes. He experimented with red-eyed [[fruit fly|fruit flies]] and found that sometimes a white-eyed fly appeared. When he mated them, he found that as he expected there were three red-eyed flies to every white-eyed fly, but that all the white-eyed flies were male. He concluded that the gene for white eyes must be on a chromosome that was related to being male. Later workers found that this is why some hereditary diseases such as [[hemophilia]] and [[muscular dystrophy]] only show in males, though women can carry the gene for the disease without showing it.

Another American biologist, [[Thomas Hunt Morgan]], developed the idea that chromosomes were made up of linked groups of factors called genes. He experimented with red-eyed [[fruit fly|fruit flies]] and found that sometimes a white-eyed fly appeared. When he mated them, he found that as he expected there were three red-eyed flies to every white-eyed fly, but that all the white-eyed flies were male. He concluded that the gene for white eyes must be on a chromosome that was related to being male. Later workers found that this is why some hereditary diseases such as [[hemophilia]] and [[muscular dystrophy]] only show in males, though women can carry the gene for the disease without showing it.

Our bodies are made up of about 100 trillion cells, each of which is responsible for a specific function. The thousands of different proteins in the cells work together like a machine to make the [[cell]] function as it should. If the genes are normal, the body part will function well. If a change (mutation) has happened in a gene, the protein may be faulty, as for example in sickle cell anemia where the instructions for making [[blood]] cells are abnormal.

Our bodies are made up of about 100 trillion cells, each of which is responsible for a specific function. The thousands of different proteins in the cells work together like a machine to make the [[cell]] function as it should. If the genes are normal, the body part will function well. If a change (mutation) has happened in a gene, the protein may be faulty, as for example in sickle cell anemia where the instructions for making [[blood]] cells are abnormal.

In 2005 it was shown that genes were not the only way that genetic information could be inherited. Scientists working at Purdue University discovered that Arabidopsis plants could remember what genes they had in the past, and correct mistakes in their current genes. This non-mendelian inheritance probably involves a RNA cache of past messenger RNA transcripts.<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15785770?ordinalpos=15&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum 2005 study]</ref>

In 2005 it was shown that genes were not the only way that genetic information could be inherited. Scientists working at Purdue University discovered that Arabidopsis plants could remember what genes they had in the past, and correct mistakes in their current genes. This non-mendelian inheritance probably involves a RNA cache of past messenger RNA transcripts.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15785770?ordinalpos=15&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum 2005 study]</ref>

==Mutation==

==Mutation==