
Genetics | History, Biology, Timeline, & Facts | Britannica
Apr 7, 2025 · genetics, study of heredity in general and of genes in particular. Genetics forms one of the central pillars of biology and overlaps with many other areas, such as agriculture, medicine, and biotechnology.. Since the dawn of civilization, humankind has recognized the influence of heredity and applied its principles to the improvement of cultivated crops and domestic animals.
Mutation | Definition, Causes, Types, & Facts | Britannica
Apr 8, 2025 · The genome is composed of one to several long molecules of DNA, and mutation can occur potentially anywhere on these molecules at any time. The most serious changes take place in the functional units of DNA, the genes.A mutated form of a gene is called a mutant allele.A gene is typically composed of a regulatory region, which is responsible for turning the gene’s transcription on and off at ...
Genetic engineering | Definition, Process, Uses, Examples, …
Apr 10, 2025 · Genetic engineering, the artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules to modify an organism. The term is generally used to refer specifically to methods of recombinant DNA technology. Learn about the history, techniques, and applications of genetic engineering.
Gene editing | Definition, History, & CRISPR-Cas9 | Britannica
Mar 26, 2025 · Gene editing, the ability to make highly specific changes in the DNA sequence of a living organism. Gene editing is performed using specialized technologies, including enzymes engineered to target a specific DNA sequence. Key among gene-editing technologies is a molecular tool known as CRISPR-Cas9.
Gregor Mendel | Biography, Experiments, & Facts | Britannica
Gregor Mendel (born July 20, 1822, Heinzendorf, Silesia, Austrian Empire [now Hynčice, Czech Republic]—died January 6, 1884, Brünn, Austria-Hungary [now Brno, Czech Republic]) was a botanist, teacher, and Augustinian prelate, the first person to lay the mathematical foundation of the science of genetics, in what came to be called Mendelism. ...
Adenovirus | Infection, Transmission, Symptoms | Britannica
Apr 9, 2025 · Adenovirus, any virus belonging to the family Adenoviridae. This group of viruses was discovered in the 1950s and includes 6 genera and 47 species (formerly referred to as serotypes) that cause sore throat and fever in humans, hepatitis in dogs, and several diseases in fowl, mice, cattle, pigs, and