A gene has different meanings when used by different biologists. In general, it is the basic unit of genetic information, the smallest unit which can be inherited. In molecular biology, a gene is defined as the fragment of genome coding for a single protein.

A series of paired nucleotides at a particular location on a chromosome (this location is called a locus). These paired nucleotides contain the basic blueprint for a particular protein, which is then used by the body.

How a gene becomes a protein:

Messanger RNA attaches to the unwound DNA strand, reads it, and alters the code slightly. Then transfer RNA binds onto the mRNA. Transfer RNA is composed of a cluster of three nucleotides on one end which attaches to and reads the mRNA, and a specific amino acid on the other end. As the transfer RNA binds onto the RNA strand, the amino acids on the other end line up to form a protein.

gene: a unit of genetic material that belongs on a chromosome, and to which belongs a segment of the double-helix molecule of DNA.

Dictionary of Sexology Project: Main Index

1. Acronym for "genetically-engineered organism."
   
   
2. The fundamental physical and functional unit of heredity. A gene is an ordered sequence of nucleotides located in a particular position on a particular chromosome that encodes a specific functional product (i.e., a protein or RNA molecule). See gene expression.

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From the BioTech Dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/. For further information see the BioTech homenode.