Which component of DNA is responsible for storing hereditary information?

Genes are the fundamental units of heredity and play a crucial role in storing and transmitting genetic information. They are segments of DNA that contain instructions for building proteins, which are essential for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs. Each gene provides the code for a specific protein or can influence the function of other genes, thereby determining various traits and characteristics in an organism.

While amino acids and proteins are related to the expression of genetic information (through the process of transcription and translation where genes are expressed to form proteins), they do not store hereditary information themselves. Ribosomes, on the other hand, are cellular structures that facilitate the assembly of amino acids into proteins but also do not contain or store genetic information.

In summary, genes are the components of DNA specifically responsible for storing hereditary information, making them the correct answer.