What is the genetic material of all living organisms?

What is the genetic material of all living organisms?

• A. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
• B. Ribonucleic acid (RNA)
• C. Proteins
• D. Carbohydrates

Answer: (A)

Genetic material is what stores and passes on inherited information. In living organisms with cells, that role is fulfilled by DNA, the molecule whose sequence of nucleotides holds the instructions for development, metabolism, and reproduction. DNA’s stable, double-helix structure with complementary base pairing enables accurate replication, so genetic information can be faithfully copied and transmitted to offspring. Through transcription, DNA is copied into RNA, which is then used to make proteins—the workhorses that perform the cell’s functions. While RNA plays a central role in expressing genes, and some viruses use RNA genomes, DNA serves as the universal hereditary substance in cellular life. Proteins and carbohydrates are essential for structure and function, but they do not store hereditary information like DNA does.

Genetic material is what stores and passes on inherited information. In living organisms with cells, that role is fulfilled by DNA, the molecule whose sequence of nucleotides holds the instructions for development, metabolism, and reproduction. DNA’s stable, double-helix structure with complementary base pairing enables accurate replication, so genetic information can be faithfully copied and transmitted to offspring. Through transcription, DNA is copied into RNA, which is then used to make proteins—the workhorses that perform the cell’s functions. While RNA plays a central role in expressing genes, and some viruses use RNA genomes, DNA serves as the universal hereditary substance in cellular life. Proteins and carbohydrates are essential for structure and function, but they do not store hereditary information like DNA does.