The term for the structure formed by coiled DNA that carries genes is

• A. Chromosome
• B. Chromatin
• C. Centromere
• D. Chromatid

Answer: (A)

DNA is packaged with proteins into chromatin, and during cell division this material condenses into chromosomes, the structures that carry genes. A chromosome is the discrete, condensed unit that contains many genes and is visible during division, allowing accurate separation into daughter cells. Chromatin refers to the less-condensed form of DNA-protein complex when the cell isn’t dividing. The centromere is the narrow region of a chromosome where sister chromatids are held together and where spindle fibers attach during segregation. A chromatid is one copy of a duplicated chromosome, joined to its sister chromatid at the centromere. So the structure formed by coiled DNA that carries genes is a chromosome.