Science
What is A gene?
A gene is a segment of DNA that carries the instructions for building a specific protein or carrying out a function in the body. Genes are the basic units of heredity — passed from parents to offspring — and together they help shape an organism's traits.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a gene.
Key things to understand
- 1A gene is a stretch of DNA with a coded sequence — the order of its bases A, T, C, and G.
- 2Most genes are recipes for proteins, the molecules that do the work in cells.
- 3You inherit two copies of most genes, one from each parent.
- 4Different versions of a gene (alleles) lead to variation, such as eye color.
- 5Genes are organized along chromosomes inside the cell's nucleus.
Frequently asked questions
- How do genes determine traits?
- A gene's DNA sequence is read to build a protein, and those proteins shape how the body develops and works — influencing traits like height or eye color, usually alongside the environment.
- What is a mutation?
- A change in a gene's DNA sequence. Some mutations have no effect, some cause disease, and some create the variation that fuels evolution.
- Do genes control everything about me?
- No. Genes set tendencies, but environment, behavior, and chance also shape most traits — nature and nurture work together.