Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

What term describes the blueprint or code used to construct other components of cells?

1. DNA

2. Gene

3. Chromosome

4. Base

The correct answer is: DNA

The term that describes the blueprint or code used to construct other components of cells is DNA. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, contains the genetic instructions that guide the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all living organisms and many viruses. It is composed of two strands that coil around each other to form a double helix, and it consists of sequences of nucleotides that encode the information necessary for building proteins and regulating cellular activities. While genes are segments of DNA that carry specific instructions for making proteins, DNA itself represents the complete set of genetic information in an organism, acting as the overarching blueprint. Chromosomes are structures made of DNA and protein that package and organize genetic material in cells. Bases refer to the specific molecules (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) that form the building blocks of DNA and RNA, but they do not encapsulate the full blueprint function. Thus, DNA is the most accurate answer in this context, emphasizing its role as the fundamental component of the genetic blueprint within cells.