Genetics and Heredity

1. Evolutionary Genetics
   1. Role in Evolution
      1. Adaptation
         1. Adaptive traits and their genetic bases
         2. Examples of adaptation in various species
         3. Genetic mechanisms of adaptation
            1. Positive selection
            2. Genetic hitchhiking
            3. Gene duplication
         4. Role of environmental factors in shaping adaptations
      2. Natural Selection
         1. Mechanisms of natural selection
            1. Directional selection
            2. Stabilizing selection
            3. Disruptive selection
         2. Relationship between natural selection and genetic diversity
         3. Case studies in natural selection
            1. Antibiotic resistance in bacteria
            2. Industrial melanism in moths
      3. Speciation
         1. Genetic basis of speciation
            1. Genetic divergence and reproductive isolation
            2. Role of geographic isolation (allopatric speciation)
            3. Role of non-geographic factors (sympatric speciation)
         2. Models of speciation
            1. Gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium
         3. Genetic signatures of speciation events
   2. Molecular Phylogenetics
      1. Phylogenetic Trees
         1. Construction of phylogenetic trees
            1. Data sources: DNA, RNA, protein sequences
            2. Computational methods: maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference
         2. Interpretation of phylogenetic trees
            1. Common ancestry and evolutionary relationships
            2. Labelling nodes and branches
         3. Applications of phylogenetic trees in evolutionary biology
            1. Tracing lineage divergence
            2. Understanding evolutionary history of traits
      2. Comparative Genomics
         1. Comparative analysis of genomes from different species
            1. Identifying conserved and divergent genetic elements
            2. Exploring evolutionary changes at the genomic level
         2. Use of comparative genomics in studying evolutionary processes
            1. Identifying genes under selection
            2. Inferring functional annotations
            3. Elucidating evolutionary innovations
         3. Insights into human evolution through comparative genomics
            1. Comparing human and primate genomes
            2. Genetic differences linked to human-specific traits
   3. Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)
      1. Intersection of evolution and developmental biology
         1. Role of genes in controlling developmental processes
         2. Changes in developmental genes leading to evolutionary changes
      2. Hox genes and evolutionary development
         1. Importance of Hox clusters in body plan development
         2. Evolutionary conservation of Hox genes
      3. Evolution of developmental pathways
         1. Genetic and developmental plasticity
         2. Regulatory network changes contributing to morphological evolution
   4. Co-evolution
      1. Genetic interactions between species
         1. Host-parasite co-evolution
         2. Plant-pollinator interactions
      2. Genetic basis of co-evolutionary dynamics
         1. Reciprocal selection pressures
      3. Implications of co-evolutionary studies
         1. Understanding biodiversity
         2. Insights into ecosystem stability and evolution