The complete set of genetic instructions an organism inherits is called its what?

• A. Trait
• B. Gene
• C. Genome
• D. Allele

Answer: (C)

The complete set of genetic instructions an organism inherits is the genome. This term covers all of an organism’s genetic material—every gene and the noncoding regions that regulate and structure those instructions. A gene is a specific segment of DNA that codes for a product, usually a protein or RNA. An allele is a variant form of a gene. A trait is an observable characteristic that results from the expression of genes and environmental influences. So the genome is the full blueprint, encompassing coding and noncoding DNA, not just any single gene or trait. In humans, for example, the genome includes thousands of genes as well as vast stretches of noncoding DNA.