What complex molecule contains genetic information?

The correct response focuses on DNA, which is the molecule that contains the genetic information necessary for the development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms and many viruses. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, consists of two long strands that coil around each other to form a double helix. The sequence of the nucleotide bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) along the DNA strands encodes the genetic instructions. These instructions are vital for the synthesis of proteins, which carry out most biological functions.

While RNA (ribonucleic acid) also plays a crucial role in the expression of genetic information, serving as a messenger and partaking in the translation of DNA into proteins, its primary function is more about processing and transferring information rather than storing it long-term.

Proteins and carbohydrates, on the other hand, serve different functions within biological systems. Proteins are the functional molecules that carry out various tasks within organisms, such as catalyzing biochemical reactions and supporting cellular structure, while carbohydrates primarily serve as energy sources and structural components. Thus, they do not contain genetic information in the manner that DNA does.