Final answer:
The genetic code is a nucleic acid in DNA comprised of codons, which dictate amino acid sequences in proteins, influencing an organism's structure and inherited traits.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genetic code is key to how living organisms function. It is not a protein or part of the cell membrane, but rather a nucleic acid found in DNA. The genetic code is responsible for determining the specific amino acid sequences that make up proteins, which in turn build an organism's structures. This coding system allows for the inheritance of traits, explaining how parents and their offspring can have similar characteristics. The code is made up of codons, which are sequences of three nucleotides that correspond to individual amino acids or stop and start signals for protein synthesis.
Characteristics of the genetic code include:
- It is used to build an organism's structures.
- It allows parents and their offspring to have similar characteristics.
- It is found in DNA.
- It consists of codons that dictate the sequence of amino acids in proteins.