The Molecular Dogma: REPLICATION

Figures taken from Campbell 9th Ed.

Models of DNA Replication

Model Conservative Description Each strand of both daughter molecules contains a mixture of old and newly synthesized DNA.

Semi-conservative The 2 parental strands reaasociate after acting as templates for new strands, thus restoring the parental double helix. Dispersive The 2 strands of the parental molecule separate, and each functions as a template for synthesis of a new, complementary strand.

Match the models listed in the left column with their corresponding description in the right column, and with the appropriate diagram above.

Meselson and Stahl (1958)

Matthew Meselson & Franklin Stahl at a conference in 2002

What can be concluded from this experiment regarding the model of DNA replication?

http://www.mendel-museum.com/

The copying of DNA is remarkable in its speed and accuracy.

Human cells = 46 DNA molecules ~ 6 billion nucleotide pairs If we were to print those 6B nucleotide pairs the size of the type used in Biology by Campbell, that would fill about1,200 books as thick as the textbook. All these takes just a few hours to be copied by our cells, with only about 1 error/10B nucleotides!

Info from Campbell 9th Ed.

Origin of replication
Describe the appearance of a bacterial chromosome. How many origins of replication does it have? In what direction does DNA replication proceed?

Origin of replication
Describe the appearance of a eukaryotic chromosome. How many origins of replication does it have? In what direction does DNA replication proceed? What happens when two replication bubbles meet?

Unwinding the double-helix

What happens to the parental DNA strands at a replication fork? Match the following with their functions described in the diagram: helicase primase single-stranded binding proteins topoisomerase

DNA polymerase
What is the role of DNA polymerase? How is ATP different from dATP?

Requirements of DNA polymerase: - DNA template strand - primer - NTPs

Antiparallel elongation: leading and lagging strands

Animation 1 Animation 2