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Course: Middle school biology > Unit 7
Lesson 2: Genes, proteins, and traitsGenes, proteins, and traits
Google ClassroomLearn about how genes encode proteins, which in turn affect an organism's traits.
Key points:
- Genes are specific stretches of a chromosome’s DNA molecule. DNA molecules are made up of smaller parts called nucleotides. So, a gene is a specific stretch of nucleotides within a chromosome’s DNA.
- DNA is made up of four types of nucleotides. These nucleotides are often called by their shortened names: A, C, T, and G (which stand for adenine, cytosine, thymine, and guanine). The nucleotides in a gene are connected in a specific order.
- Proteins are molecules that carry out many different functions in cells. For example, some proteins provide structure for the cell. Others help carry out chemical reactions.
- Proteins are made up of smaller parts called amino acids. The amino acids in a protein are also connected in a specific order. A protein’s amino acids determine its 3D structure and its function.
- The cell builds proteins using instructions found in genes. Specifically, the order of nucleotides in a gene determines the order of amino acids in one or more proteins.
- An organism has many different genes, and so can produce many different proteins. These proteins have functions that affect the organism’s traits.
Want to join the conversation?
what is amino acids?(13 votes)
An amino acid (this wasn't really explained in the video) is a type of organic (carbon-based) compound containing both an amine (nitrogen) group and an acid group. Every three nucleotides (A,G,T, or C) stand for one amino acid, and the amino acid is determined by the nucleotide order. The amino acids then get linked together to make a protein as the DNA is decoded. Hope this helps!(25 votes)
How many types of protein can there be?(13 votes)
there can be about 10,000 different proteins.(13 votes)
- y is there cells in grass :/(7 votes)
- because the grass is a living thing. and cells are what make life possible.(26 votes)
How many genes are in a human(7 votes)- An international research effort called the Human Genome Project, which worked to determine the sequence of the human genome and identify the genes that it contains, estimated that humans have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes.(8 votes)
If we create our own proteins, why is it so important to eat protein when wanting to maintain or build muscle?
And is there a difference in consuming proteins and the proteins we build? Will the muscle we build with "external" proteins be partly chicken for example?
Or does the difference in proteins not matter much to us? Whether it's from a whey shake or a chicken egg?(5 votes)
Hello!
1. I believe the concept of consuming protein is similar to vitamins and minerals. Your body can produce several vitamins(and cannot produce others), but to be the healthiest you can be, it's generally good to consume more. In the same way, eating more protein can IMPROVE and HELP with the functions that our proteins do. In terms of muscle, the body isn't exactly made to get ripped automatically, so protein helps!
2. There is not a lot of difference between the two because, as I mentioned, they are used to carry out the same tasks. Think of it like this: natural proteins are like answering all the questions on a test(bare minimum), while eating more protein is like extra credit(you get more out of it). Sorry if it sounds complicated😅.
3. Yup, the end result of proteins are the same, so HOW they are consumed doesn't matter. It is a slight problem if you don't eat protein at ALL. I'd just like to add that some people cannot get protein in the same way. Me, for example. I'm vegetarian, so I can't eat chicken and get protein. Someone else may be allergic to whey or other stuff in shakes, and may prefer to eat chicken! There's also the fact that some foods have more protein than others.
Edit: While I have a general idea of this stuff, I'm not an expert, just saying. I did do some research on this for a school project, so I'm not entirely clueless.
Hope this helps! Ask me if you have any questions!(10 votes)
- what are amino acids(7 votes)
- An amino acid (this wasn't really explained in the video) is a type of organic (carbon-based) compound containing both an amine (nitrogen) group and an acid group. Every three nucleotides (A,G,T, or C) stand for one amino acid, and the amino acid is determined by the nucleotide order. The amino acids then get linked together to make a protein as the DNA is decoded. Hope this helps!(4 votes)
Are amino acids tiny proteins?(6 votes)- Amino acids are small molecules that are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins serve as structural support inside the cell and they perform many vital chemical reactions. Each protein is a molecule made up of different combinations of 20 types of smaller, simpler amino acids. Hope this helps.(5 votes)
- how big are genes(4 votes)
The diameter of the DNA double helix would be about 2.5 nanometers long, and all of our DNA stretched out would be about 10 billion miles long.(7 votes)
What are Amino Acids?(3 votes)
Amino acids are molecules that are combined to form proteins. Basically when proteins are broken down/digested the amino acids still remain, it's used by the body to create proteins and to break down food.(6 votes)
What are Amino Acids?(5 votes)
Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins.(1 vote)
