Final answer:
DNA encodes information in the sequence of nucleotides it comprises, directing the synthesis of proteins that determine an organism's traits. The genetic code in DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which then guides the assembly of amino acids into proteins. This process is central to the molecular biology of all living organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) encodes information in the sequence of nucleotides which make up its structure. These nucleotides are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T), and they bind to the sugar deoxyribose in DNA molecules. The sequence of these nucleotides in DNA represents the genetic code, which is analogous to a set of instructions for building proteins, the workhorses of the cell. This genetic information is transcribed into mRNA and then translated into the amino acid sequence of a protein, following a process known as the central dogma of molecular biology.
Proteins are made of long chains of amino acids, and the sequence of these amino acids determines the structure and function of the protein. The instructions for making proteins with the correct sequence of amino acids are encoded within the DNA of an organism. This is how DNA dictates the physical and biochemical characteristics of an organism and passes on traits from one generation to the next.