Final answer:
A gene is a DNA segment that determines traits, an allele is a variation of a gene, and allele variations can alter protein structure and function, affecting the traits of an organism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the statements concerning genes and alleles:
- A gene indeed is a segment of DNA that determines a certain trait, which is related to the coded instructions for making specific proteins within an organism.
- An allele is a variation of a given gene, representing different forms a gene can have.
- Genes contain information that codes not only for proteins involved in the regulation of gene expression but also for a variety of proteins that carry out diverse functions in an organism.
- It is not true that genes are not responsible for the expression of traits; genes are fundamental in determining the traits of an organism through the production of proteins.
- Allele variations are indeed due to small changes in the nucleotide sequence within a gene that can sometimes alter the structure and function of a protein.