Final answer:
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the genetic material in cells that carries hereditary information and controls cellular development and activities through its unique sequence of bases.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genetic material found in cells that controls their development and activities is called DNA which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is a critical molecule for life, consisting of two strands that coil around each other to form a double helix, carrying the hereditary information.
This molecule is responsible for passing genetic traits from one generation to the next, and it dictates the synthesis of proteins which fundamentally lead to the formation of cell structures and regulation of cellular activities.
In eukaryotic organisms, DNA is primarily located in the cell nucleus while prokaryotes carry DNA mostly in the nuclear zone. The structure of DNA is composed of four bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). The unique sequence of these bases constitutes the genetic code that translates into the amino acid sequence of proteins.
During cell division, replication of DNA ensures that each new cell has the same genetic information as its parent. Furthermore, during reproduction, DNA is the material that is transferred from parents to offspring, thus conveying inherited characteristics.