Secondary II • 3yr.
Hello,
I had a genetics class today, but I didn't really get it. Can you explain it to me again?
Thanks a lot!
Hello,
I had a genetics class today, but I didn't really get it. Can you explain it to me again?
Thanks a lot!
Explanation from Alloprof
This Explanation was submitted by a member of the Alloprof team.
Thank you for your question
First, genetics refers to the science that studies the functioning of genes, their transmission and their variation within the same species.
But what is a gene? It's quite simple, it is a small segment of DNA that contains genetic information for a specific characteristic of an organism. We are talking here about the color of the hair, the eyes or even the height. There are therefore a multitude of different characteristics for the same species. Also, certain genes contain information for the manufacture of certain proteins by the cell. We can say that they contain recipes for the creation of molecules.
Warning!! In some cases, several genes are responsible for a single characteristic or the same recipe.
The different genes of the organism are assembled one after the other to form a molecule in the shape of a double helix called DNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) contains the entire genetic code of an individual, which is called the genome.
These DNA strands are then linked at the center to form chromosomes, which can be recognized by their X shape. Chromosomes are found in pairs and are visible during cell division of the nucleus. In humans, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes, however this number varies depending on the species. For example, there are 60 pairs for the cow and 19 for the cat.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to let us know! 😊