what role does dna play in heredity

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) plays a central role in heredity. It contains the genetic instructions that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and reproduction. DNA is the molecule that carries genetic information from one generation to the next. The genetic information is stored in the sequence of nucleotides that make up the DNA molecule. During cell division, DNA is replicated so that each new cell receives a complete set of genetic instructions. In sexual reproduction, organisms inherit half of their nuclear DNA from the male parent and half from the female parent. The importance of DNA in heredity became clear in 1953 thanks to the work of James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin, who discovered the double helix structure of DNA.