Introduction to genetics: Difference between revisions

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'''Genetics''' is the study of [[genes]] and tries to explain what they are and how they work. Genes are how living [[organism]]s inherit features or [[Phenotypic trait|traits]] from their ancestors; for example, children usually look like their parents because they have inherited their parents' genes. Genetics tries to identify which traits are inherited and to explain how these traits are passed from generation to generation.

Some traits are part of an organism's [[morphology (biology)|physical appearance]], such as [[eye]] [[Eye color|color]], height or weightheight. Other sorts of traits are not easily seen and include [[blood type]]s or resistance to [[Disease|diseases]]. Some traits are inherited through genes, which is the reason why tall and thin people tend to have tall and thin children. Other traits come from interactions between genes and the environment, so a child who inherited the tendency of being tall will still be short if [[Malnutrition|poorly]] [[Nutrition|nourished]]. The way our genes and environment interact to produce a trait can be complicated. For example, the chances of somebody dying of [[cancer]] or [[heart disease]] seems to depend on both their genes and their lifestyle.

Genes are made from a long [[molecule]] called [[DNA]], which is copied and inherited across generations. DNA is made of [[nucleotide|simple units]] that line up in a particular order within it, carrying genetic information. The language used by DNA is called [[genetic code]], which lets organisms read the information in the genes. This information is the instructions for the construction and operation of a living organism.