What is the basic unit of heredity?

Genes are the units of heredity and are the instructions that make up the body's blueprint. They code for the proteins that determine virtually all of a person's characteristics. Humans have an estimated 35,000 genes. Most genes come in pairs and are made of strands of genetic material called deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. read more

The basic unit of heredity is a gene. A gene is a segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or set of proteins. The DNA is configured into chromosomes, and each parent gives one of each chromosome to offspring. read more

Genes are the basic units of heredity. They are composed of chains of nucleotide base pairs in specific sequences that code for making proteins. Long sequences of genes are coiled up into chromosomes that are located in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. read more