Gene

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gene

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the human genome?Estimated to contain 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes
2. What is the replication mechanism?DNA replication ensures accurate duplication of genetic material before cell division
3. What are genes and why are they important?Genes are tiny instruction books inside our cells that tell our body how to grow and work. They carry the information needed to make proteins that keep us healthy and give us our unique traits.
4. How do genes tell our body what to do?The order of letters in a gene's DNA sequence tells the cell which protein to build. The protein then performs a specific job, like making a pigment or helping a muscle move.

Allele: One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.
Genotype: The genetic constitution of an individual organism, influencing its observable characteristics.
Phenotype: The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
Mutation: A permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene.