| From: Chirryl | 16/03/2000
11:29:00 |
| Subject: Difference between DNA & Genes? | post id:
47178 |
| What is the difference between
DNA & Genes? | |
| From: lentil | 16/03/2000
11:59:00 |
| Subject: re: Difference between DNA & Genes? | post id:
47208 |
| DNA is a long string composed of
a sugar-phosphate backbone and nucleotides. There are four nucleotides in
DNA, A T G and C and the sequence of nucleotides provides the genetic
information in the form of genes. A gene is a hereditary unit that is
composed of a sequence of DNA and occupies a specific position or locus on
the DNA molecule. A gene is a unit of genetic infomation that controls the
synthesis of one polypeptide (or one structural RNA molecule). So DNA is like bricks and a gene is like the house that the bricks build. Lentil | |
| From: Freezer | 16/03/2000
12:10:00 |
| Subject: re: Difference between DNA & Genes? | post id:
47217 |
| Lentil, didn't you say DNA is a
long string, and a gene is a unit on that string, so wouldn't DNA be the
house and Genes the bricks?? ~Freezer | |
| From: lentil | 16/03/2000
12:15:00 |
| Subject: re: Difference between DNA & Genes? | post id:
47220 |
| That analogy isn't very good I
suppose. Maybe it is better the say that DNA is a long string of letters,
and genes are where the letters are arranged in a fashion that makes
sense. ie: WTRHUIJKNTHISISAGENELOKNYHBVFRDS this is the DNA THISISAGENE this would be the gene within that molecule Does that make sense? Lentil | |
| From: Dr Paul (Avatar) | 16/03/2000
14:28:00 |
| Subject: re: Difference between DNA & Genes? | post id:
47310 |
| Hi Lentil, Hi Freezer, Hi
Chirryl, the "bricks" are the units made up of the nucleotide base pairs attached to the ribose phosphate units composing the backbone. The DNA is the whole sets of this, so more the story of the nucleic acids. The base pairs are the words in the story. The genes are the pages in the book(s). You may consider the Chromosomes as the individual volumes of the multibook story. Interesting book with only four characters in the alphabet Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine and Thymine (Some have a fifth, Uracil, but not many) Paul PS apologies for interupting the conversation. P | |
| From: Min-Zhao Lee | 16/03/2000
21:40:00 |
| Subject: re: Difference between DNA & Genes? | post id:
47498 |
| Um Paul, isn't uracil in RNA as a
substitute for thymine? | |