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History of Genetics Timeline
Period: _______
Date: ________
To understand genetics, we have to thank many scientists. Some scientists worked by
themselves, but most worked in groups. The discoveries built upon each other to bring us to the detail
we know today. Use the timeline cards and other sources to fill in the chart below.
YEAR
1859
SCIENTIS/S
DISCOVERY
Charles Darwin
Published “The Origin of Species” no knowledge of DNA or
genetics
1902
Walter Sutton
Determined that Mendel’s “factors” were carried on
chromosomes.
1905
Nettie Steven
Edmund Wilson
Independently described sex chromosomes; figured out that in
humans XX=female and XY=male
1908
Archibald Garrod
Proposed that some human diseases are due to “inborn errors
of metabolism” that result from lack of an enzyme
1866
1869
1911
1927
Experimented with fruit flies; proposed the idea of sex-linked
inheritance; described gene theory and cross over
Hermann Muller
Used x-rays to cause artificial gene mutations in fruit flies
1928
Phoebus Levene
1941
George Beadle
Edward Tatum
1944
Oswald Avery and
MacLeod and McCarty
Late 1940’s
Barbara McClintock
1950
Erwin Chargaff
1952
Rosalind Franklin
1952
Using bread mold, they showed that a gene produces its effect
by regulating enzymes
Developed hypothesis of “transposons” to explain colors in
Indian corn
Used viruses called phages to show that DNA is molecule of
heredity, not protein. Scientists finally accept the proof.
1953
1958
Matthew Meselson
Frank Stahl
Used isotopes of nitrogen to show semiconservative
replication of DNA
1958
Arthur Kornberg
Purified DNA polyermerase and showed DNA could be made in
a test tube.
1966
1970
Led the team that cracked the genetic code- 64 mRNA
triplets that specify the twenty amino acids
Hamilton Smith
Kent Wilcox
1972
1973
Isolate the first restriction enzyme, HindII, used to “cut”
DNA at specific site
Produced the first recombinant DNA molecules
Joseph Sambrook
Led team that refined gel electrophoresis using agarose gel
and ethidium bromide
1977
1977
First genetic engineering company (Genentech) is founded;
uses recombinant DNA to make medical drugs
1978
Somatostatin became first human hormone produced using
recombinant DNA technology
1981
Three different research teams announce the discovery of
human cancer causing genes (oncogenes)
1983
James Gusella
1985
Kary Mullis
1988
1989
Used blood samples collected by Nancy Wexler to
demonstrate that Huntington’s disease gene is on chromosome
4
Human Genome Project begins. Goal: sequence of DNA of all
human chromosomes by 2010
Alec Jeffreys
First to use DNA polymorphisms in murder, rape, and
paternity cases; calls it “DNA fingerprinting”
1989
Identified the gene coding for cystic fibrosis on chromosome
7
1990
First gene replacement therapy- four year old girl with
compromised immune system
1996
2000