What scientific discovery spurred the rapid advancements in the fields of genetics?

the understanding that genes code for specific proteins.

Explanation:

A scientific discovery that spurred rapid advances in the fields of genetics was the understanding that genes encode specific proteins. Before this discovery little was known about what proteins formed and how important this formation was for their functions. Once the interference of genes in protein synthesis was discovered, it was possible to understand the functioning of proteins and their specificities, as well as to understand how genes influenced various characteristics in the human organism. The result of this discovery was a rapid advance in knowledge related to genetics and cellular and molecular biology.