How does the mechan

ism of heredit

y work? Cellular DNA

is the information source for m

aking proteins in the cell. A section of DNA that provides information for one protein is called the gene for that protein. How do proteins control the characteristics that we are discussing here? Let us take the example of tallness as a characteristic. We know that plan

ts have hormones that can trigger growth. Plant height can thus depend on the amount of a particular plant hormone. The am

ount of the plant hormone made will depen

tes

test

rest

d on the efficiency of the process for making it

. Consider now an enzyme that is important for this process. If this enzyme works efficiently, a lot of hormone will be made, and the plant will be tall. If the gene for that enzyme has an alteration that makes the enzyme less efficient, the amount of hormone will be less, and the plant will be short. Thus, genes control characteristics, or traits.