Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

What is a gene primarily made up of?

1. Amino acids

2. Proteins

3. RNA

4. DNA

The correct answer is: DNA

A gene is primarily made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA contains the genetic instructions necessary for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses. Each gene consists of a specific sequence of nucleotide bases within the DNA, which determines the genetic code for producing proteins through the processes of transcription and translation. The other options pertain to components associated with genes but are not correct regarding the structure of a gene itself. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are created based on the instructions coded in genes. Proteins serve a wide variety of functions within organisms but are synthesized from the information contained in genes rather than being part of the gene structure. RNA (ribonucleic acid) plays a crucial role in translating the genetic code from DNA into proteins but is not what makes up the gene itself. Hence, the correct answer highlights the primary molecular structure that constitutes a gene.