Genetics and Genetic Engineering

The terms GENES, Genetics, and Genetic Engineering all refer to the molecular units of heredity and variability in living organisms. Gene comes from the German word Pangen, which is derived from the Greek pan (all) and genos (kind, offspring). Genes are the units of heredity that are recombined and passed through reproduction; they express characteristics in living organisms and contribute to biological variability. Genes are found in the germplasm, specifically the chromosomes, and are made of a sequence of amino acids found in an organism's DNA. In the modern discourse about genes and genetics, life is shaped by sequences of information carried by genes. This information codes the production of specified proteins or enzymes.