Of the following, which is the most current description of a gene?
A) a unit of heredity that causes formation of a phenotypic characteristic
B) a DNA subunit that codes for a single complete protein
C) a DNA sequence that is expressed to form a functional product: either RNA or polypeptide
D) a DNA-RNA sequence combination that results in an enzymatic product
E) a discrete unit of hereditary information that consists of a sequence of amino acids

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most current description of a gene is that it is a DNA sequence that is expressed to form a functional product, which can be either RNA or polypeptide. This definition takes into account the fact that some genes code for non-protein products, such as functional RNAs, and that a single gene can give rise to multiple protein variants through alternative splicing or other mechanisms. Options A, B, and E are outdated or incomplete descriptions of genes, while option D is incorrect because enzymatic products can be produced by proteins encoded by genes, but genes themselves do not typically result in enzymatic products.

Of the Following, Which Is the Most Current Description of a Gene