Genes are a huge part of heredity in living organisms. They
are the molecules that form patterns and codes that translate to the physical
traits that we receive from our parents. These physical features that are a
product of heredity are called phenotypes. On the chromosomal level, your
hereditary code is your genotype.
A genetic code can be thought of as a sentence. In the
English language, a sentence is made up of words, and these words are made up
of letters. In genetics, nucleotides are the letters. When put together they
form “words” or genes. Cells read and translate these sentences of nucleotides
to produce amino acid chains. These chains are proteins.
Interesting facts
about genetics:
·
It takes about 8 hours for one of your cells to
completely copy its DNA.
·
Human DNA is 98% identical to chimpanzee DNA
·
It would take 57 years to recite all of your
ATCGs at 100 per minute.
·
If you stretched out the DNA from your 46
chromosomes in one cell, it would be over 2 yards long.
·
1 in 180 babies are born with a chromosome
abnormality.
Why are genes
important?
Without genes, everyone would be the same. There would be no
uniqueness in the world. People would all look the same and have the features.
Also, without genetics, there would be no evolution. If there was no way to
change throughout generations, there would be no way for living organisms to
evolve to their environment.
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