Q.

Identify the correct order of organisation of genetic material from largest to smallest.                 [2015]

1 Genome, chromosome, gene, nucleotide  
2 Chromosome, genome, nucleotide, gene  
3 Chromosome, gene, genome, nucleotide  
4 Genome, chromosome, nucleotide, gene  

Ans.

(1)

In genome all the genes are contained in a single set of chromosomes. The instructions in our genome are present in the form of DNA. DNA has a complicated structure in the form of a double helix. Single strands of DNA are coiled up into structures called chromosomes. Within the chromosomes, segments of DNA are “read” together to form genes. Thus, a gene is a segment of DNA or chromosome situated at a specific locus (gene locus) which carries coded information associated with a specific function and can undergo crossing over as well as mutation. A nucleotide is the basic unit of DNA made up of a pentose sugar, phosphoric acid and a nitrogenous base.