he _____ contains the genetic code for the structural and functional characteristics of the cell.

The blank in your sentence can be filled with "DNA." DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that carries the hereditary information necessary for the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms and many viruses. It is often referred to as the blueprint of life because it contains the instructions for building and maintaining an organism.

The structure of DNA is a double helix formed by two strands of nucleotides, which are composed of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The sequence of these bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) encodes the genetic information. During the processes of transcription and translation, the information in DNA is expressed as proteins, which perform most of the activities vital for life. Thus, DNA plays a crucial role not only in heredity but also in cellular functions and characteristics, underscoring its importance in biology and genetics.