What Is DNA and What Does It Do?
DNA is the molecule that stores most of the inherited information needed to build and run the human body. It helps cells make proteins, control their activities, copy themselves, and pass information to new cells. Most of your DNA came from your biological parents, but cells use different parts of it depending on the jobs they perform. This diagram illustrates how human cells use genetic information, showing the step-by-step process of converting DNA into RNA and functional proteins. Table of Contents What Is DNA? Where Is DNA Found in the Body? What Is DNA Made Of? Why Is DNA Shaped Like a Twisted Ladder? How Does DNA Store and Use Information? How Do Genes, Chromosomes, and the Genome Fit Together? How Is DNA Copied and Passed On? Can DNA Change? What Is DNA? DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid . It is a long chemical molecule that carries genetic information in humans and almost all other living organisms. ...