Topic B6a - DNA and Reproduction

DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the chemical component of all genetic material in a cell.
It contains coded instructions that determine an organism's inherited characteristics and how the organism is put together and functions.
DNA is a polymer consisting of two strands coiled together in a double helix structure.
It is found in long structures called chromosomes located in the nucleus of animal and plant cells.

A gene is a small section of DNA found on a chromosome.
Each gene codes for a particular sequence of amino acids that are assembled to make a specific protein.
There are only $20$ amino acids, but they can be combined to make thousands of different proteins.
DNA determines which proteins a cell produces (e.g., haemoglobin, keratin), which in turn determines the cell type (e.g., red blood cell, skin cell).

The genome refers to the entire set of genetic material in an organism.
Scientists have mapped the complete human genome, which serves as a vital tool for science and medicine.
Understanding the genome allows scientists to:
- Identify genes linked to specific types of disease.
- Improve the understanding and treatment of inherited disorders.
- Trace human migration patterns from a common ancestor in Africa by investigating tiny genomic differences that developed as populations split and moved across the planet.