ABSTRACT
A gene is a physical and functional unit of genetic information with the potential to be expressed, i.e. to be used as a template to generate one or more gene products of RNA or protein. The genome (q.v.) is the total genetic information in the cell, and that information is stored as the nucleotide sequence. While all genetic information can be stored and transmitted from generation to generation as part of a chromosome, only the genes are expressed. Other loci function solely at the DNA level and include regulatory elements, origins of replication, centromeres and telomeres.
