Generalize the significance of Mendel’s experiments with garden peas.
A He observed patterns of genetic inheritance prior to the discovery of DNA.
B He observed the relationship between genes and the proteins they code for.
C He observed a breakage event on chromosome 9.
D He observed the separation of chromosomes during meiosis.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is A: He observed patterns of genetic inheritance prior to the discovery of DNA.
Explanation:
Gregor Mendel’s experiments with garden peas laid the foundation for the field of genetics. Mendel systematically studied the inheritance of traits in pea plants by observing how specific traits, such as flower color, seed shape, and pod color, were passed from one generation to the next. He focused on crossbreeding pea plants that exhibited distinct traits and tracked the patterns of inheritance across several generations.
Mendel’s work was groundbreaking because it provided the first clear evidence that traits are inherited in predictable patterns, even though the molecular basis of inheritance—DNA—had not yet been discovered. His most famous findings came in the form of Mendel’s Laws: the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. The Law of Segregation states that each individual has two alleles for a gene, and these alleles segregate during the formation of gametes, meaning each gamete carries only one allele from each gene pair. The Law of Independent Assortment states that genes for different traits are inherited independently of one another.
Although Mendel did not know about chromosomes or DNA, his careful experiments and the patterns he observed suggested a mechanism for inheritance that would later be understood in terms of genes, alleles, and DNA. His work went largely unrecognized during his lifetime, but when rediscovered in the early 20th century, it provided a critical framework for understanding how traits are inherited, influencing fields ranging from biology to medicine and agriculture.
Mendel’s conclusions did not involve the breakage of chromosomes or the relationship between genes and proteins, both of which were discovered much later, nor did they directly involve the process of meiosis. His focus was on observing the transmission of traits through generations, which was a precursor to the molecular genetics revolution.