3.15 Genes

3.15 Understand that a gene is a section of a molecule of DNA.

- The diagram below shows a molecule of DNA. It shows the characteristic of the Double Helix shape. A section of this molecule is called a gene. This gene carries the information which forms the characteristic of that particular organism. This could be for example blood group, or petal colour in a flower.

- The genes are located in the nucleus and the information is passed to the cytoplasm. Then the genetic information is transformed in the cytoplasm to a protein. It is this protein which controls the production of the characteristic.

- So the information flows from the gene (in the nucleus), to the protein (in the cytoplasm).