Question

which part of a dna molecule is responsible for the direct coding of specific traits in an organism?
the sequence of nucleotide bases in the dna molecule
the number of hydrogen bonds that hold the strands of dna together
the number of carbons in the dna molecule.
the sequences of phosphates along each dna strand

Explanation:

DNA is composed of nucleotide bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine). The sequence of these bases forms genes. Genes are the units of heredity and code for proteins. Proteins determine the specific traits of an organism. The number of hydrogen bonds (which hold the DNA strands together via base - pairing, e.g., A - T has 2 hydrogen bonds and G - C has 3) does not code for traits. The number of carbons in the DNA molecule (the sugar in the nucleotide has 5 carbons) is a structural feature and not related to trait coding. The sequence of phosphates (which form the backbone of the DNA molecule along with sugars) is also a structural component and not involved in direct trait coding.

Answer:

The sequence of nucleotide bases in the DNA molecule.