Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
Surroundings
Reproduction
Form
Code: 4 chemical bases: -Adenine (A)
-Guanine (G)
-Cytosine (C)
-Thymine (T)
Pair up with each other, form units named base pairs
Each base is attached to:
-A sugar molecule
-A phosphate molecule
A double helix formed by base pairs attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone
Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus
Genetic Inheritance
A pair of chromosones:
-1 inherited from each of your parents
Dominant & Recessive genes
Human DNA consists of 3 billion bases
Determines your child's genes
If the order of genes have been disrupted (mutated), the living thing may suffer from diseases or death
Adenine & Guanine are linked with 2 hydrogen bonds
Cytosine and Thymine and linked with 3 hydrogen bonds
A combined sperm & egg is called a zygote
The zygote contains all the genetic information (DNA) needed to become a baby.
Half the DNA comes from the sperm, the other half comes from the egg
DNA does not determine our future
All genes work in context of the environment
Changes in the environment, such as diet, exercise, exposure to toxic agents, or medications can all influence our genes and traits.