Chromosomes, genes and proteins
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| chromosomes | 染色体 | rǎn sè tǐ |
| gene | 基因 | jī yīn |
| DNA | 脱氧核糖核酸 | tuō yǎng hé táng hé suān |
| protein | 蛋白质 | dàn bái zhì |
| characteristics | 特征 | tè zhēng |
The instructions inside you
- Every cell carries a complete set of instructions for building and running your body.
- These instructions are stored in chromosomes 染色体, genes 基因 and DNA 脱氧核糖核酸.
A gene is:
A gene codes for one protein.
Chromosomes are made of a molecule called ______.
DNA stores the genetic code.
Chromosomes and genes
- Chromosomes are long threads of DNA, found in the nucleus.
- A gene is a section of DNA that codes for one protein 蛋白质.
A chromosome is made of DNA and carries genes; a gene is a length of the DNA
From gene to protein
Step along the DNA template: each base pairs to an mRNA base, and every three bases (a codon) codes for one amino acid in the protein.
How many chromosomes are in a human body cell?
Body cells have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs).
How many chromosomes are in a human gamete?
Gametes have half — 23 — so fertilisation restores 46.
How many chromosomes
- Human body cells have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs).
- Gametes have 23 — half the number — so fertilisation restores 46.
A human karyotype: 23 pairs of chromosomes, ending in XY for a male
Genes control characteristics by coding for:
Proteins (like enzymes) build and run the body.
Genes control proteins
- Genes code for proteins, and proteins build and run the body (e.g. enzymes).
- So genes, through the proteins they make, control your characteristics 特征.
Gene, chromosome and DNA are not the same. DNA is the molecule; a chromosome is a long coiled length of it; a gene is a short section of that DNA coding for one protein. They nest inside each other.
mRNA copies a gene, then a ribosome reads it to build a protein from amino acids
You've got it
- chromosomes are threads of DNA in the nucleus; a gene is a section coding for one protein
- human body cells have 46 chromosomes; gametes have 23
- genes control characteristics through the proteins they code for