Problem:
I made an answer on the Scifi.SE that can be read here. It is about how the characters in the story Jurassic Park might have gotten DNA for all the species shown.
In my answer, I said this:
Apes and Humans, for example, share over 99% of their genes. That means the difference between our species is less than 1% of our genes. In fact, all life on Earth shares about 50% of it's genes.
but in the original posting (before someone edited it) I chose to use the word DNA instead of genes.
He left this comment in the section to explain the edit:
Sorry, I'm a biologist, I can't help it. Humans and apes share 99% similarity in the coding sequences of their DNA, the ~5% that codes for genes, not on all the DNA. I simplified this to genes for the answer.
I have a basic high school understanding of DNA and genes, so I'm afraid I fail to see the difference between using "DNA" or using "genes" in my statement. I understand that genes are specific sequences of DNA that are used by the cell in some way. I understand that DNA is more generic, including all of the strands, whether they are used or not, whether they seem to code for something or not.
So is it wrong then to say that apes and humans share 99% of their DNA or is it equally correct to say "genes"?
Any ideas? Or better yet, pointers to places where this has already been answered?