Genes and traits are two closely related but different terms in the world of genetics.

A gene is a piece of DNA that tells your body how to make a certain protein or does a certain job in your body.

Genes come from your parents and are responsible for a lot of things in your life, like your eye color, your blood type, how susceptible you are to certain diseases, and so on.

But genes are not the only determinants of your traits. Environmental factors such as your diet, your lifestyle, and your exposure to toxins all play a role in shaping your traits.

Your genes can interact with each other in complex ways and interact with your environment in different ways. This is called polygenic inheritance and it can affect your traits in different ways.

For example, your height is influenced by many genes but also nutritional factors during your development.

Conclusion

Genes are the genetic instructions for making proteins and carrying out functions in an organism, whereas traits are observable characteristics that are the result of the expression of genes in conjunction with environmental factors. Understanding how genes interact with the environment is important for understanding the intricacy of inherited traits and variation within populations.

Also Read: 6 Traits That You Can Only Inherit From Your Father