Why don’t you look the same as your friends?

I have many students in my class but they all are so different in their looks and in personality as well. My friend Emma is so shy and Judie is so confident. I wonder why this happens? Don’t you wonder? My teacher told me this is because of genes.

What are genes?

Genes make us who we are, how we look, and which personalities we have. A gene is the basic unit of inheritance; inheritance means transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring. Genes are made up of D.N.A; DNA carries all the information for the development and functioning of an organism. DNA contains thread like structures called chromosomes.

In our bodies we have 20,000 to 25,000 genes. The genes of each cell contain more information than an animal’s encyclopedia. Isn’t it mind-blowing!

We have 46 chromosomes in each cell. We get 23 chromosomes from our father and 23 from our mother.

But why are your siblings so different from you?

Let’s say your father has a dimple and he has two copies for dimples and no dimple D and d. D means you’ll have dimple and d means you’ll not have it. It might be possible that he passes his d copy to you. And D to your sister. There are 50% chances that you’ll have dimples and 50% that you’ll not have. And it might be possible that you both have dimples.

Now let’s know why Emma is shy, ok?

Emma is shy because she has a gene in her called RGS2. Wow, shyness is also because of genes!

Do you know genes also change?

Change can be positive or negative. Let’s first discuss negative change. Negative Gene change is called mutation.

Mutation alters the shape of a gene. When shape changes, the function of genes also change. For example in sickle cell anemia, because of shape changes in genes the shape of red blood cells also changes that affect the oxygen carrying capacity of blood and a person can die.

Now, let’s know about positive change. People have black color in the areas where there is a high amount of U.V radiation. This is because of the change in genes. It protects people from radiation of the sun because low amount of radiation is absorbed in their skin.

Wrapping up

Only genes do not affect human personalities and the way they look because environment also matters. So, if you feel something is missing in you. You need to change the environment. In return, it will change you if you will choose the right environment. And we should improve ourselves because positive changes are good.