MBG 2040 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Lysozyme, Exogenous Dna, Transfer Dna
19 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Bacteria and viruses have made important contributions to the science of genetics. Studying bacteria is useful and easy because they are small and reproduce quickly (forming large populations in a matter of days) Their small size, short generation time, and simple structures have made bacteria and viruses valuable model systems for genetic studies. Many basic concepts of genetics were first deduced from the studies of bacteria and viruses. Viruses straddle the line between the living and the non-living. Consider, for example, a virus that causes discoloration on the leaves of tobacco plants, a condition called tobacco mosaic disease. The tobacco mosaic virus (tmv) can be crystallized and stored. In this state, it exhibits none of the properties normally associated with living systems: it does not reproduce; it does not grow or develop; it does not utilize energy ; and it does not respond to environmental stimuli.
