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Understanding DNA's Role in Heredity: Storing, Copying, and Transmitting Genetic Information

This lesson explores the essential functions of DNA in heredity, emphasizing its capability to store, copy, and transmit genetic information within cells. DNA serves as the blueprint for life, housing the instructions that direct development in organisms ranging from dogs to oak trees. We delve into the processes of information storage, the challenges of copying DNA accurately, and the critical importance of transmitting genetic material during cell division, especially in meiosis. Understanding these functions is fundamental to grasping the principles of genetics.

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Understanding DNA's Role in Heredity: Storing, Copying, and Transmitting Genetic Information

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Lesson Overview 12.1 Identifying the Substance of Genes

  2. The Role of DNA • What is the role of DNA in heredity? • The DNA that makes up genes must be capable of storing, copying, and transmitting the genetic information in a cell.

  3. The Role of DNA • The DNA that makes up genes must be capable of storing, copying, and transmitting the genetic information in a cell. • These three functions are analogous to the way in which you might share a treasured book, as pictured in the figure.

  4. Storing Information • The foremost job of DNA, as the molecule of heredity, is to store information. • Genes control patterns of development, which means that the instructions that cause a single cell to develop into an oak tree, a sea urchin, or a dog must somehow be written into the DNA of each of these organisms.

  5. Copying Information • Before a cell divides, it must make a complete copy of every one of its genes, similar to the way that a book is copied.

  6. Copying Information • To many scientists, the most puzzling aspect of DNA was how it could be copied. • Once the structure of the DNA molecule was discovered, a copying mechanism for the genetic material was soon put forward.

  7. Transmitting Information • When a cell divides, each daughter cell must receive a complete copy of the genetic information. • Careful sorting is especially important during the formation of reproductive cells in meiosis. • The loss of any DNA during meiosis might mean a loss of valuable genetic information from one generation to the next.

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