2 How do genes influence an organism's traits? A) By directly controlling all parts of an organism's development (B) By using the environment to determine an organism's characteristics (C) By randomly selecting traits from a variety of possibilities (D) By providing instructions for building proteins that determine an organism's traits

To determine how genes influence an organism's traits, let's analyze each option: A) **By directly controlling all parts of an organism's development**: This statement is misleading. While genes play a significant role in development, they do not control all aspects directly; environmental factors also play a crucial role. B) **By using the environment to determine an organism's characteristics**: This option suggests that genes rely solely on environmental factors, which is not accurate. Genes provide the blueprint, but the environment can influence how these traits are expressed. C) **By randomly selecting traits from a variety of possibilities**: This option implies randomness in trait selection, which does not accurately reflect how genes work. Genes are inherited and follow specific patterns of inheritance. D) **By providing instructions for building proteins that determine an organism's traits**: This statement is correct. Genes encode the information necessary to produce proteins, which are essential for the development and functioning of an organism. Proteins play a critical role in determining traits. Based on this analysis, the correct answer is: **(D) By providing instructions for building proteins that determine an organism's traits.**