DECODE The Script of LIFE

     Genes are the fundamental units of heredity, acting as the instructions for the synthesis of proteins that perform a multitude of functions within living organisms. Each gene is a segment of DNA located on chromosomes, carrying the code that dictates specific traits or functions. For instance, the gene for eye color contains the blueprint for the production of pigments that give our eyes their distinctive hues, such as blue, brown, or green.     A lleles, on the other hand, are different versions of the same gene that arise due to variations in the DNA sequence at a particular locus on a chromosome. These variations lead to the diversity of traits observed within a species. A single gene for hair color, for example, may have multiple alleles corresponding to black, brown, blonde, or red hair. Similarly, the gene determining blood type possesses alleles A, B, and O, each contributing to the blood type of an individual.      The expression of these alleles can be either dominant o

  Introduction When a cell divides, one of its main jobs is to make sure that each of the two new cells gets a full, perfect copy of genetic material. Mistakes during copying, or unequal division of the genetic material between cells, can lead to cells that are unhealthy or dysfunctional (and may lead to diseases such as cancer). But what exactly is this genetic material, and how does it behave over the course of a cell division? DNA and genomes DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic material of living organisms. In humans, DNA is found in almost all the cells of the body and provides the instructions they need to grow, function, and respond to their environment. When a cell in the body divides, it will pass on a copy of its DNA to each of its daughter cells. DNA is also passed on at the level of organisms, with the DNA in sperm and egg cells combining to form a new organism that has genetic material from both its parents. Physically speaking, DNA is a long string of paired chemica