Where Does Genes Come from?

Where Did You Get Your Genes? You got all your genes from your parents. For each pair of their chromosomes, you get one chromosome from your mother and one from your father. When the egg and sperm cells come together, they create the full set of 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs.

What are genes and where do they come from?

A gene is a basic unit of heredity in a living organism. Genes come from our parents. We may inherit our physical traits and the likelihood of getting certain diseases and conditions from a parent. Genes contain the data needed to build and maintain cells and pass genetic information to offspring.

How is genes created?

Each new gene must have arisen from an already existing gene.” Gene duplication occurs when errors in the DNA-replication process produce multiple instances of a gene. Over generations, the versions accrue mutations and diverge, so that they eventually encode different molecules, each with their own function.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.