Genomes and Characteristics

• Gene

  • Carries information that determines your traits.
  • A segment of DNA that codes for a trait.
  • Genes are Instructions in the Genome
  • A short length of DNA on a chromosome.
  • Genes can exist in different versions.
• • The code carried by genes is known as the genetic code.
• • Each gene codes for (tells the cells to make) a particular sequence of amino acids, which are put together to make a specific protein. This process of making a big molecule (e.g. a protein) from lots of smaller molecules (e.g. amino acids) is called polymerisation.
• • Different versions of a gene can also be called genetic variants.
• Each chromosome in a pair carries the same genes, but they may each carry different alleles.
• Traits

  • Are characteristics you inherit from your parent.
• DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

  • Is a polymer — a molecule that's made up of smaller, repeating units called monomers.
• • Each DNA molecule contains two strands of nucleotides, which coil together to form a double helix (a double-stranded spiral).
• DNA is made from monomers called nucleotides. (AGTC)

  • Adenine
  • Guanine
  • Thymine
  • Cytosine
• Key base: 

  • Adenine

  Sugar and phosphate groups:

  • Thymine/Uracil
  • Guanine
  • Cytosine
• Base pairs and nucleotides

  Adenine and Thymine/Uracil = double bond

  Guanine and Cytosine = triple bond
• Genome  

  • Entire genetic material of an organism
• Chromosome

  • Thin strands of DNA.
  • Made from highly collected strands of relatively long DNA
  • Chromosomes are long molecules of DNA 
  • Found in the nucleus
  • Comes in pairs
• • Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 23 from each parent (46 in total)
  • Haploid - 23
  • Diploid - 46
• Allele

  • Different versions of the same gene.
• Amino acids

  • Building blocks of protein, which are joined by polymerisation.
• Polymerasation

  • Process where molecules or monomers are joined together.
• Polymer

  • Many molecule
• Monomer

  •  One molecule
• Proteins control the development of different characteristics, e.g. dimples, and how an organism functions.