B5- Genes and Variation

B5 Genes and Variation

Chromosomes- are really long molecules of DNA

genome- is the entire genetic material of an organism 

one chromosome is one really long molecule of DNA coiled up 

Genes

a gene is a short length of a chromosome

genes determine the production of proteins, this controls the development of different characterisitics e.g. dimples

genes can form in different versions, each version gives a different form of a characteristic, like blue and brown eyes

different versions of the same gene are called alleles or variants 

Variation

organisms of the same species have difference e.g. in a group of people there will be different heights and differently shaped noses

These…