Genome

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/genome

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 composition?Nucleotide sequences of DNA or RNA
2. What is the first organism with sequenced genome?Virus φX174 in 1977
3. Why does a genome have non‑coding DNA?Non‑coding DNA contains parts that control when and where genes are turned on. It helps genes work at the right time and place, and some parts still have unknown jobs.
4. How did scientists first read a genome?The first genome read was the tiny virus φX174 in 1977. Then scientists read a bacterial genome in 1995 and a yeast genome in 1996, making it easier to read larger genomes.

Genome: The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid): A double-helix molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms.
Gene: A distinct sequence of nucleotides forming part of a chromosome, which determines a specific trait or function.
Non-coding DNA: DNA sequences that do not code for proteins but often play regulatory or structural roles.