Here's a breakdown:
* DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for building and maintaining an organism.
* Genes: Genes are specific sequences of DNA that contain the instructions for building a particular protein.
* Proteins: Proteins are the workhorses of the cell. They carry out a wide variety of functions, including:
* Enzymes: Catalyze chemical reactions
* Structural components: Provide support and shape to cells and tissues
* Hormones: Act as chemical messengers
* Antibodies: Fight infection
The process of making a protein from a gene is called gene expression:
1. Transcription: The DNA sequence of a gene is copied into a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule.
2. Translation: The mRNA molecule is used as a template to build a protein, using the genetic code to translate the sequence of nucleotides in mRNA into a sequence of amino acids.
Key takeaway: Genes are the fundamental units of heredity and provide the instructions for building all the proteins that an organism needs.
