Final answer:
All DNA sequences that can be transcribed are called genes, while all the products of translation are known as proteins. The conversion from DNA to protein includes transcription, where DNA is transcribed to mRNA, and translation, where mRNA is used to form protein sequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
All of the DNA sequences that contain information which can be transcribed is called a gene, whereas all of the products of translation are referred to as proteins. The entire process from DNA to RNA to protein is governed by the central dogma of molecular biology, which describes how genetic information flows within a biological system. Transcription is the process by which DNA is copied to messenger RNA (mRNA), and this mRNA carries the genetic code that dictates protein synthesis during translation.
During transcription, an enzyme called RNA polymerase reads the DNA template and synthesizes a complementary strand of mRNA. This mRNA then undergoes post-transcriptional modifications, such as the addition of a 5' cap and a poly-A tail, and the removal of introns, to become mature mRNA that is ready for translation.
Tranlation is the process where the ribosome reads the mRNA in three-nucleotide sequences, known as codons, and each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid, thus forming a protein. Proteins are made up of 20 different amino acids, and the sequence in which these amino acids are arranged gives the protein its unique structure and function.
Each gene represents a sequence of DNA that not only includes the coding regions, or exons, but also includes regulatory sequences such as promoters and terminators. Genes contain the instructions for synthesizing proteins, which play a crucial role in the structure and function of cells and organisms. Ultimately, proteins are responsible for the phenotype of an organism, whereas genes make up its genotype.