0 14 Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein Overview: The Flow of Genetic Information The information content of genes is in the form of specific sequences of nucleotides in DNA The DNA inherited by an organism leads to specific traits by dictating the synthesis of proteins Proteins are the links between genotype and phenotype Gene expression, the process by which DNA directs protein synthesis, includes two stages: transcription and translation Concept 14.1: Genes specify proteins via transcription and translation How was the fundamental relationship between genes and proteins discovered? Evidence from the Study of Metabolic Defects In 1902, British physician Archibald Garrod first suggested that genes dictate phenotypes through enzymes that catalyze specific chemical reactions