Educator Resources for DNA

DNA makes you one of a kind—right down to your cells! Nearly every cell in your body holds a copy of your unique deoxyribonucleic acid. This genetic blueprint contains instructions for cells to produce proteins, the building blocks of life. All that complex information is stored within a surprisingly simple code. It's made up of molecules known as bases: cytosine, guanine, adenine, and thymine. These four bases are like words in a special language, which can be arranged like sentences into thousands of sequences. They're called genes, and each one codes a different protein. Genes are responsible for making us who we are! We inherit them from our parents, packaged neatly into structures called chromosomes. Advances in technology have allowed scientists to manipulate DNA to cure diseases, grow heartier crops, and more. But there's still much more to learn about the power and potential of DNA. Get going on your own path to DNA discovery by watching this movie!