Long live the genome! So should the gene

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Modern genetics utilizes whole-genome sequencing and high-throughput analyses of cellular products.
• This technological advancement necessitates a re-evaluation of the fundamental definition of a gene.
• The study revisits Johannsen's original concept of the gene as an invariant unit of inheritance and development.

Observation:

• Attempts to define genes solely as discrete genomic structures are insufficient.
• Genes can be conceptualized as abstract terms for inheritance units or as entities representing cellular functions.
• Cellular functions are the primary determinants of DNA structural referents.

Findings:

• Natural selection acts on cellular functions, providing the etiological basis for genes.
• Genes function as intervening or abstractive variables that summarize observable characters.
• DNA sequences represent the most fundamental basis for inferring genotypes from phenotypes.

Implications:

• This perspective shifts focus from DNA structure to functional genomics and evolutionary genetics.
• Understanding genes as functional units aids in deciphering complex inheritance and developmental patterns.
• The study advocates for a holistic, top-down approach in genetic analysis, integrating function and evolution.