What are genes?

What are genes?

• A. Discrete units of lipids that store energy.
• B. Discrete units of heredity information consisting of a specific nucleotide sequence.
• C. Proteins that regulate metabolism.
• D. Ribonucleic acids that act as enzymes.

Answer: (B)

Genes are discrete units of heredity information encoded by a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA. That sequence holds the instructions to make RNA, and typically to build a protein that carries out cellular functions. Genes are located on chromosomes and their expression is regulated, allowing inherited traits to be passed on and regulated in development and in response to signals. The other options mix up what genes are: lipids that store energy are fats, not genetic information; regulatory proteins are products of gene expression, not the units of heredity themselves; RNA molecules that act as enzymes are functional products, whereas the fundamental unit of heredity described here is the DNA sequence that stores information.

Genes are discrete units of heredity information encoded by a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA. That sequence holds the instructions to make RNA, and typically to build a protein that carries out cellular functions. Genes are located on chromosomes and their expression is regulated, allowing inherited traits to be passed on and regulated in development and in response to signals. The other options mix up what genes are: lipids that store energy are fats, not genetic information; regulatory proteins are products of gene expression, not the units of heredity themselves; RNA molecules that act as enzymes are functional products, whereas the fundamental unit of heredity described here is the DNA sequence that stores information.