BIL 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: List Of Domesticated Animals, Selective Breeding, Genomics
Document Summary
Genes affect every aspect of our lives, both internally and externally. It is difficult to imagine any aspect of life that does not have something to do with genes. Homo sapiens --the world"s most successful agricultural species--uses artificial selection to change genomes. This must be done with care to avoid problems. The fastest way to increase expression of a desirable, recessive trait is via inbreeding , mating close relatives who share that trait. Extensive inbreeding can produce livestock or crops that are genetically uniform, comprising a monoculture . They are often homozygous at multiple gene loci. They are uniformly susceptibility to pathogens or parasites. Loss of genetic diversity can lead to ruin, both within and among species. Greater understanding of how genes operate can help us avoid these problems. Humans have discovered how to manipulate genes in domestic species. This can be used to produced desired traits more quickly than inbreeding can.
