Every living organism has a genome though it can vary greatly in size. Each chromosome, in turn, carries thousands of genes arranged like beads on a string. There are over 100,000 or so genes which determine, at least in part, many of our traits such as eye color, height, blood types, and bodily functions. Short segments of DNA form genes. The function of a gene is to provide instructions that tell cells how to behave, specifically genetic code to create a certain protein.
Proteins are responsible for every chemical reaction essential for life.
Hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters are all proteins. They are how your body communicates, and they help cells make other chemicals that your body needs like hemoglobin, antibodies, and enzymes. A certain sequence of the bases, As, Ts, Cs, and Gs, constitute a recipe for a specific protein. Back to top Dystonia Genes Genes that are defective in some way do not produce the correct protein and therefore either cause the disease directly or somehow influence the clinical features of the disease. Errors in genes are responsible for an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 clearly hereditary diseases, including certain forms of dystonia.