Lecture notes on properties of the genetic material

Genetic material is the substance that carries the biological information regarding the  structural, functional, developmental and behavioural properties of organisms. It also serves  as the agent that transfers or transmits biological information from parent to progeny. In most organisms, DNA is the genetic material. But, in some viruses, RNA serves as the  genetic material.
Properties of the genetic material                       
Some of properties are the following:
(i)Genetic material should be present in every cell.
(ii) Ability to store and transmit biological information in a stable form.
(iii) Ability to replicate with high fidelity to produce identical functional copies.
(iv) Ability to distribute its copies equally from parent cells to daughter cells with extreme  accuracy and minimal error.
(v) High physical and chemical stability to prevent the loss of information and also to  ensure genetic constancy in organisms.
(vi) Potentiality to generate variations (through mutation, recombination and minor errors in replication and distribution) in order to promote genetic diversity.
(vii) Ability to act and express itself for controlling the inheritance of characters specified by it.