ABSTRACT
Most organisms on the planet share some fundamental similarities, as epitomized by the near universality of the genetic code. For exploring these kinds of processes, the choice of any cell as a subject should be as good as any other. Yet, for various reasons, often certain organisms become the beloved model systems that propel biological investigation forward. In the late nineteenth century at about the same time that Darwin and Wallace were first elucidating the interconnectedness of all living organisms and Louis Pasteur was articulating the biochemical unity of life, a humble Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel, was establishing a new science of genetics. Throughout the twentieth century, a major focus of biological research was on understanding the underlying molecular basis for complex life processes. The goal of both biochemistry and genetics is to identify the molecules that are key players in important biological processes.
