In The Gno

All living things contain DNA.  In fact, DNA is the universal genetic code for life.  DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.  But where does this name come from?  The “deoxyribo…” bit relates to the name of the five-carbon sugar that is the first of three parts of a DNA nucleotide.  This sugar molecule is named a [...]

Blood type is a special type of inherited trait that is governed by multiple alleles, or gene variants.  Most often referred to as the ABO blood group, these three alleles (A, B, and O) can produce four phenotypes from six genotypes.  Of the three possible alleles, A and B are always dominant to O.  In [...]

These terms might sound scary, but there is a simple explanation for each.  A phenotype is merely how a gene is expressed.  For instance, a dimpled chin is an example of a trait that is governed by genetics.  Your phenotype is determined by whether or not you have a dimple in your chin.  Some people [...]

Genetics, the science of heredity, is a diverse field rich in many topics of study and research including genes and DNA, chromosomes, related diseases or conditions, and patterns of inheritance.  Roots of genetics can be traced back to the 1800s when an Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel first began studying inheritance patterns using garden-variety pea [...]

Recall that a single nucleotide monomer, the individual building blocks of genes, is basically made of a sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.  The monomer itself, as previously mentioned, is usually referred to by the same name as the base it contains.  This is why the linear sequences of genes are sometimes explained as strings [...]

DNA is the inherited genetic material that controls gene expression through protein synthesis.  This is a fancy way of saying that DNA is a chemical form of a genetic blueprint.  The genetic instructions contained in DNA are housed in genes.  Genes are smaller segments that, when strung together, comprise a DNA molecule.  Genes are actually [...]

Hi, I’m Pyrimidiva, an editorial commentator for In The Gno.  Genes and DNA are part of an amazing and interesting microscopic world; a world that controls what we look like — inside and out — and how we feel, among other things.  Did you ever wonder how we know so much about this incredible world [...]