Lecture 3: Model Organisms and the meaning of Wild Type
Why did Mendel work on Peas?
What makes a good "model organism"
"Model" Organisms: Examples and Needs
Examples
E. coli
Phage
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
The mustard plant Arabidopsis thaliana
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster
Mouse
Humans
Genetic features and methods are different for different organisms
Many types of organisms are not represented.
Consequences
Establishing a wild type
Nomenclature