There are 20 different types of amino acids, which a cell uses to produce proteins, and which are central to the functioning of cells within an organism. Even the most minute differentiation in the amount and type of amino acid, can have drastic effects on a cell's composition and function. DNA replicates itself by splitting itself in two, or unzipping itself like a zipper. When replication is complete, two identical strands of DNA are produced. Chromosomes Cells, whether through meiosis or mitosis, share genetic information through chromosomes.
Chromosomes are the package for DNA and genes.
A living organism has roughly 5 feet or 1.5 meters of compacted DNA within it's nucleus. To contain the DNA within the nucleus of a cell, the genetic information is wound up into strands like coiled rope. These strands take the shape of X's. Each place on a chromosome holds genetic information which pertains to the expression of a trait. The genetic information a chromosome holds, or one piece of genetic information a chromosome can hold, is known as a gene .