Compare and contrast a gene and a chromosome
Answers
Answer:
Gene:
A gene is a section of DNA that is involved in carrying information for a particular trait. They are functional units of heredity and are made of DNA. Genes are responsible for hereditary and this is the reason why we all have similar characteristics of both the parents like the pigmentation of the eye, hair color, etc. There are about 29 to 30 thousand genes in every cell of the human body. The term gene was first coined in the year 1909 by Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen.
Chromosomes:
Chromosomes are thread-like structures merged together and are made of proteins and a single molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid – DNA. They are mainly found inside the nucleus of both animal and plant cells. They are passed to offspring from their parents, over generations. The term chromosome is derived from the Ancient Greek word meaning colored body. Every human cell contains 46 or 23 pairs of chromosomes. These chromosomes play an important role in cell division process and ensure that DNA molecules are copied and distributed evenly.