Provide information about nucleic acids as genetic material.

(N/A) Offspring exhibit traits similar to their parents. Most organisms originate from a zygote formed by the fusion of male and female gametes.
Initially,there was no clarity regarding the material responsible for genetic traits.
Mendel described these genetic materials as 'factors'. About a hundred years later,it was understood that this genetic material exists in the form of chromosomes.
Chromosomes primarily consist of nucleoproteins. Nucleoproteins have two components: $(1)$ Nucleic acids and $(2)$ Proteins.
Modern research in molecular biology has proven that the nucleic acid present in chromosomes is responsible for the transmission of hereditary traits.
Two types of nucleic acids are found in biological systems,namely Deoxyribonucleic acid $(DNA)$ and Ribonucleic acid $(RNA)$.
In most organisms,$DNA$ acts as the genetic material,but in some viruses,$RNA$ serves as the genetic material.
$RNA$ mostly functions as a messenger. $RNA$ also performs other functions; it acts as an adapter,a structural molecule,and in some cases,as a catalytic molecule.