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The Founders of Evolutionary Genetics pp 107–166Cite as

Golden Generalities and Co-opted Anomalies: Haldane vs. Muller and the Drosophila Group on the Theory and Practice of Linkage Mapping

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Part of the book series: Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science ((BSPS,volume 142))

Abstract

Thus the authors of the Mechanisms of Mendelian Heredity — the second edition of their textbook manifesto — concluded their discussions of Haldane’s views on a theory of linkage. By 1922, Drosophila genetics had center stage in theoretical investigations of the nature of the gene and their organization into chromosomes, whose mechanics gave what was soon to be known as “classical” genetics a theoretical centrality and predictive power rivalling that of classical mechanics in its own domain two centuries before. It appeared to be a picture of great generality. The key to this theoretical revolution in genetics was the discovery, analysis, explanation, and exploitation of linkage, and the linkage map was, properly, an exemplar of high theoretical science at its best. As authors of such a theoretical achievement, Morgan, Sturtevant, Bridges, and Muller — so a naive view goes — should have been both prepared and inclined to appreciate further theoretical developments of their model.

Such an attempt to find a general formula is futile, for it has been proved that the relation between map-distance and observed percentage of crossing over is different not only in different chromosomes, but even very strikingly in different regions of the same chromosome. The only satisfactory representation of such relationships is one that gives for each chromosome, and for each region of that chromosome the observed relation between map-distance and crossover values. From such careful, detailed region-by-region studies, a more general statement and formulation should emerge. Until such studies are completed, there is nothing to be gained from a priori attempts to formulate the relationship. … it is evident from the foregoing that within a given region the exact function of distance represented by crossover values depends directly upon the magnitude of the interference acting at each given distance. … (MMH, 1922, p. 171.)

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  1. The University of Chicago, USA

    William C. Wimsatt

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  1. Department of Philosophy and Theoretical Biology Group, Boston University, USA

    Sahotra Sarkar

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Wimsatt, W.C. (1992). Golden Generalities and Co-opted Anomalies: Haldane vs. Muller and the Drosophila Group on the Theory and Practice of Linkage Mapping. In: Sarkar, S. (eds) The Founders of Evolutionary Genetics. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol 142. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2856-8_6

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