Search
Gene
01
(genetics) a basic unit of heredity and a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is located on a chromosome in a cell and controls a particular quality
What is a "gene"?
A gene is a segment of DNA that provides the instructions for making proteins, which are essential for the body's growth, development, and overall functioning. Genes influence traits such as eye color, blood type, and the likelihood of developing certain diseases. They are passed from parents to children and can affect how the body responds to environmental factors and treatments.
Example
An organism with one allele for brown eyes and one for blue eyes is a heterozygote for the eye color gene.
Pea plants with two alleles for yellow seeds are homozygotes for the seed color gene.
Neurofibromatosis is caused by mutations in specific genes.
An organism with two alleles for brown eyes is a homozygote for the eye color gene.
Mitochondrial diseases can result from mutations in genes within the mitochondrial DNA.