What discrete unit of hereditary information consists of a specific nucleotide sequence?

• A. Allele
• B. Nucleotide
• C. Gene
• D. Chromosome

Answer: (C)

A gene is the discrete unit of hereditary information defined by a specific sequence of nucleotides that encodes the instructions to make a product, usually a protein or a functional RNA. This sequence determines the order of amino acids in the protein or the sequence of the RNA product, guiding the trait's development. Genes reside on chromosomes, and many genes together make up a chromosome. An allele is simply a variant form of a gene, not the unit itself, while a nucleotide is a single building block, not the complete instructional unit.