Here's a breakdown:
* Genes: These are segments of DNA that contain the instructions for building and maintaining an organism. They act like blueprints for specific traits.
* DNA: This is the molecule that carries genetic information. It's structured like a twisted ladder, with the "rungs" of the ladder made up of pairs of four chemical bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). The order of these bases forms the genetic code.
* Proteins: Genes provide the instructions for building proteins, which are the workhorses of the cell. Proteins carry out a vast array of functions in the body, from forming structures like hair and skin to regulating chemical reactions.
Therefore, the specific sequence of bases in an organism's genes determines the proteins it produces, which in turn determine its physical traits.
