Cats as an aid to teaching genetics.

Area of Science:

• Genetics Education
• Animal Genetics

Background:

• General Genetics courses often struggle to illustrate complex genetic principles effectively.
• Familiar organisms can enhance student engagement and comprehension in genetics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement an engaging exercise using domestic cats to teach transmission and population genetics.
• To reinforce core genetics concepts such as dominance, epistasis, and linkage through a hands-on activity.

Main Methods:

• Students in a General Genetics course determined genotypes of domestic cats at seven unlinked loci.
• Phenotypic observation was used to infer genotypes, reinforcing concepts like dominance, incomplete dominance, epistasis, and sex linkage.
• Collected genotypic data was analyzed to illustrate Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and allele frequencies.

Main Results:

• The cat-based exercise successfully reinforced understanding of fundamental genetic principles.
• Students gained practical experience in genotype determination and data analysis.
• The activity provided a concrete platform for illustrating complex population genetics concepts.

Conclusions:

• Domestic cats serve as an effective model organism for teaching genetics.
• This hands-on approach enhances student learning and positive perception of population genetics.
• The exercise successfully bridges the gap between theoretical genetics and practical application.