What are the components of a cell that determines the characteristics of a living thing?

The correct answer is genes, as they are the fundamental units of heredity in living organisms. Genes are segments of DNA that contain the instructions for synthesizing proteins, which play critical roles in the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs. Each gene is responsible for specific traits or characteristics, such as eye color or blood type, by coding for particular proteins that contribute to those traits.

While DNA is the overarching molecule that houses the genes, it is the genes themselves that are directly responsible for encoding the information that leads to the expression of physical and functional traits in an organism. Chromosomes are structures within cells that organize and carry genes, and while proteins are essential for many cellular processes and functions, they are products of gene expression rather than the determining units of characteristics. Thus, understanding the role of genes clarifies why they are specifically highlighted as the critical components that shape the characteristics of living things.