Final answer:
The genetic code is the set of rules that governs the translation of a gene's DNA sequence into the corresponding protein sequence, and is nearly universal among organisms. Option 2 is correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The manner in which a gene sequence is related to its respective protein sequence is referred to as the genetic code. Thus, the correct answer is genetic, which is option 2) genetic. The genetic code is a set of rules used by living cells to translate information encoded within genetic material (DNA or mRNA sequences) into proteins. Translation is the process that converts the encoded information in the mRNA into a sequence of amino acids, leading to protein synthesis. Each amino acid in a protein is encoded by a three-nucleotide sequence in the mRNA known as a codon.
The genetic code is essentially the language through which the nucleotide sequence of a gene is translated into the amino acid sequence of a protein. Through the process of transcription, a gene's DNA sequence is converted into the corresponding mRNA sequence. During translation, this mRNA sequence is read in sets of three nucleotides, or codons, and each codon specifies a particular amino acid. For example, if a strand of DNA has the sequence 5'-AATTGCGC-3', the corresponding mRNA sequence will be 3'-UUAACGCG-5' with uracil (U) replacing thymine (T). The mRNA codons are then used as a template to assemble a chain of amino acids to form a protein.
The genetic code is nearly universal, being the same in almost all organisms, and is central to the process of gene expression. The central dogma of molecular biology describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. The genetic code enables this transfer of information and is critical to the synthesis of proteins as dictated by the cellular needs. When a protein needs to be produced, the relevant gene is activated, and its mRNA is synthesized and subsequently translated into the specific protein aided by the ribosomes and tRNAs.