DNA - An Introduction (GCSE Biology)
DNA: An Introduction
An Introduction to DNA
DNA is the genetic material that provides the blueprint for building organisms. The DNA of each person is completely unique. They follow patterns, however no two people, except from identical twins, have the same exact DNA. In order to understand DNA, we must first consider what a genome is.
- The genome is all of the genetic material of an organism. All of the DNA and genetic material in the whole body of an organism is its genome. This can teach us many secrets about an organism. Recently, the whole of the human genome was mapped out. This means that every single component of DNA in the human organism was discovered and written out to be analysed. This has given us a far greater understanding of the genetic make up of humans.
- Mapping the genome has been very important for healthcare. By mapping the genome, doctors have been able to work out what genes make patients predestined for diseases, such as the breast cancer, which is influenced by the BRCA gene. Moreover, they have been able to identify the migration patterns of humans and use DNA to see how different inherited diseases have manifested.
- DNA is a chemical. DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic acid, is the chemical that makes up the genetic material of humans. It is a polymer made up of of many individual units. These units then form two strands that are
attracted to one another to form a double helix. - DNA is arranged into chromosomes. It is not feasible for the DNA to simply be wrapped into the nucleus of a cell. Instead, it is packaged into chromosomes and the chromosomes reside in the nucleus.
- Genes are sections of DNA. A gene is a section of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a certain characteristic. It does this by providing the amino acid sequence for the building of one certain protein.
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