What term refers to all the genetic information in an organism, including all of its chromosomes?

• A. Chromosome
• B. Phenotype
• C. Allele
• D. Genome

Answer: (D)

All the genetic information in an organism, including all of its chromosomes, is called the genome. The genome encompasses the entire sequence of DNA, covering genes as well as the noncoding regions that regulate gene activity. It also includes DNA found in organelles such as mitochondria (and chloroplasts in plants). Chromosomes are the organized packages that carry parts of the genome, but they are just pieces of the whole content. Phenotype refers to the observable traits that result from gene expression and interaction with the environment, while alleles are the different versions of a single gene. So the genome is the complete set of genetic material.