Final answer:
Genes code for proteins by providing instructions within the genetic code, which are transcribed into mRNA and then translated into amino acid sequences to form proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Genes are the units within our genetic code that provide the instructions for making proteins. They are carried on chromosomes, with each chromosome potentially containing tens of thousands of genes. During protein synthesis, DNA is transcribed into RNA, specifically messenger RNA (mRNA), which then travels from the nucleus to the ribosome where it is translated into a protein. The mRNA serves as a template that translates the nucleotide sequence into an amino acid sequence of the protein, which is facilitated by transfer RNA (tRNA) and the ribosome.
The genetic code is read three bases at a time, and these three-nucleotide sequences on the mRNA are called codons. Each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during translation. Thus, it is the genes that ultimately code for proteins.