Genes & Mutations

Traits are characteristics that things have like hair color, eye color, and height.

Living things get their traits from their parents, but traits can also come from other places. For example, a person that is out in the Sun for extended time can develop darker skin.

Genes are sections of genetic material found on chromosomes and an organism get their genes from their parents.

A mutation is when something in an organism changes and makes it grow differently, for example, the X-Men have mutated to have special powers.

Some mutations are good and some are bad, it just depends on what they change in the organism.

DNA is genetic material and it is found in the cells of living things.

DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid and it is the genetic material that contains the code that makes an organism.

Chromosomes are tightly coiled strands of DNA that are in the cells of all living things.

Genes are sections of DNA that are found in our chromosomes. Genes are passed from parents to offspring.

Living things make proteins based on their DNA. As proteins are made, they take on different shapes, the shape of the protein (structure) determines what the protein does (function).

Mutations are a change in the genetic code, DNA, and can sometimes lead to proteins being made wrong. An example could be a mouse that inherited a gene with a mutation, so it didn’t grow any hair.

An example of a mutation could be if you stay in the Sun too long without sunscreen. Too much Sun can change the DNA in your skin cell, which could make them divide too fast. This could cause skin cancer.