Ask a Teacher

Search



What is genes?
Genes are the working subunits of DNA. . Each gene contains a particular set of instructions, usually coding for a particular protein or for a particular function.

The DNA in each chromosome constitutes many genes. The DNA also contains large sequences that do not code for any protein and their function is not known. The gene of the coding region encodes instructions that allow a cell to produce a specific protein or enzyme. There are nearly 50,000 and 100,000 genes with each being made up of hundreds of thousands of chemical bases.

The combination of all genes makes up the blueprint for the human body and its functions. Genes are located on strands of DNA, just like beads on a string. The DNA strands make up the chromosomes. Chromosomes contain matching pairs of one copy of a specific gene. The gene occurs in the same position on each chromosome.
.
For example humans,

In females, one sex chromosome gets its gene from the mother, the other matching sex chromosome has the gene from the father.

In males, a single X chromosome comes from the mother and a non-matching Y chromosome comes from the father.


comments powered by Disqus