What is the structure that carries genetic information in living organisms?

The structure that carries genetic information in living organisms is DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the molecule that holds the instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses. It comprises two strands that coil around each other to form a double helix, with each strand made up of a sequence of nucleotides containing four bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). The specific sequences of these bases encode the genetic instructions necessary for building proteins and directing cellular activities.

In addition to DNA, chromosomes play a crucial role in packaging and organizing DNA in the cell. Chromosomes are made up of DNA and proteins, allowing DNA to fit within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells efficiently. However, chromosomes are more about structure and packaging rather than being the fundamental unit of genetic information itself.

While RNA also carries genetic information, particularly in the process of protein synthesis and as a genetic material for some viruses, it is primarily a single-stranded molecule that works as a messenger and does not store genetic information long-term in the way that DNA does.

Proteins, on the other hand, are the products of the genetic