DNA and genes

• DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid and is the chemical that all of our genetic material is made of
• DNA is a polymer made up of lots of similar units stuck together, forming two strands that create a double helix structure
• All the DNA in a single cell, if unraveled, would be over two meters long
• To prevent tangling and fit inside the nucleus, DNA is separated into 46 sections, each forming a chromosome
• Each human cell has 46 chromosomes, with 23 different types, one from each parent, forming pairs
• The 23rd pair consists of sex chromosomes, with women having two X chromosomes and men having one X and one Y chromosome
• Genes are small sections of DNA that code for specific proteins, determining the type of cell and its functions
• A gene is a code for a particular sequence of amino acids that, when combined, form proteins
• There are 20 different types of amino acids that can be combined in various ways to create thousands of different proteins
• The genome is the entire set of genetic material in an organism, unique to each individual but more similar to parents and identical twins
• Scientists have decoded the complete human genome, allowing the identification of genes linked to diseases and the development of better treatments
• Genomes can also be used to trace the migrations of ancestors by analyzing the small differences between populations