A segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait is called a:

A segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait is called a:

• A. Gene
• B. Chromosome
• C. Genome
• D. Allele

Answer: (A)

Genes are the DNA segments that carry the instructions for making a trait or product. A segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait is a gene because it is the functional unit of heredity—the piece of genetic information that can be transcribed and translated into a protein or RNA involved in that trait. A chromosome is a larger structure that contains many genes; a genome is the entire set of genetic material in an organism; and an allele is a variant form of a gene that can influence how a trait is expressed. So the described segment best fits the definition of a gene.

Genes are the DNA segments that carry the instructions for making a trait or product. A segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait is a gene because it is the functional unit of heredity—the piece of genetic information that can be transcribed and translated into a protein or RNA involved in that trait. A chromosome is a larger structure that contains many genes; a genome is the entire set of genetic material in an organism; and an allele is a variant form of a gene that can influence how a trait is expressed. So the described segment best fits the definition of a gene.