DNA

• What is the main component of chromosomes?


  Chromosomes are long molecules of DNA.
• What determines the inherited characteristics of an organism?

  DNA determines the inherited characteristics of an organism.
• How do chromosomes typically exist in cells?


  Chromosomes normally come in pairs.
• What is the structure of DNA?


  DNA has a double helix structure made up of two strands.
• What is true about every living organism regarding DNA?


  Every living organism has DNA.
• Why is DNA important for organisms?


  DNA contains all the instructions to build an organism.
• What would happen if all organisms had the same DNA?


  All living things would be the same.
• What is a gene?


  A gene is a small section of DNA found on a chromosome.
• What does each gene code for?


  Each gene codes for a particular sequence of amino acids.
• How many amino acids are used to make proteins?


  Only 20 amino acids are used to make thousands of different proteins.
• What do genes tell cells?


  Genes tell cells in what order to put the amino acids together.
• What determines the type of cell produced?

  The proteins produced by DNA determine the type of cell.
• What is the genome?


  The genome is the entire set of genetic material in an organism.
• Why is understanding the human genome important?


  It helps identify genes linked to diseases and develop treatments.
• How can scientists trace the migration of populations using genomes?


  By investigating differences in genomes as populations migrated.
• Where did all modern humans descend from?

  All modern humans descended from a common ancestor who lived in Africa.
• What was the scale of the human genome project?


  It involved scientists from many parts of the world and took more than ten years to complete.
• Why was the human genome project considered worth the effort?


  It helps us understand diseases and how to fight them.