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SBI 4U November 5 th , 2012. DNA Replication and repair. Thanks to Watson & Crick (and other scientists), scientists now understood the shape, size and chemical composition of DNA but how did it replicate so well? Especially with such a low error rate?. DNA REPLICATION IS SEMICONSERVATIVE.
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SBI 4U November 5th, 2012 DNA Replication and repair
Thanks to Watson & Crick (and other scientists), scientists now understood the shape, size and chemical composition of DNA but how did it replicate so well? Especially with such a low error rate?
DNA REPLICATION IS SEMICONSERVATIVE • Semiconservative replication: Separating the two parent strands and building a new, complementary replacement strand for each
The Meselson-Stahl Experiment • Grew E.coli with either a ‘heavy’ isotope of nitrogen or light isotope of nitrogen • Bacteria grown for 17 generations • Equal volume of light DNA was mixed with the heavy DNA What do you expect will happen to the next generation’s DNA?
The Meselson-Stahl Experiment, Continued … • Determining density of DNA placed in a centrifuge tube tube contained mixture that produces a density gradient • Originally, the heavy DNA sunk to the middle but the intermediate DNA was in the middle proving semiconservative replication
DNA REPLICATION: THE PROCESS 3 steps: • Parental strands of DNA separate • Complementary DNA strands are assembled • New strands are proofread and repaired
Step 1: Strand Separation • Replication origins: act as starting points for replication • Helicase binds to the replication origins and unwinds the 2 strands hydrogen bonds • Replication fork is formed • DNA replicates from 5’ to 3’
Step 1: Strand Separation • Single-strand binding protein: Prevent rejoining of the base pairs
Step 1: Strand Separation • As the 2 replication forks proceed in opposite directions, the space between them is filled with newly replicated DNA is called a replication bubble
Step 2: Building Complementary Strands • New nucleotides are bound by DNA polymerase very specialized in eukaryotes • DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides to the 3’ end of an existing DNA strand therefore assembly is from 5’ to 3’
Step 2: Building Complementary Strands • DNA polymerase uses nucleoside triphosphates to make the new strand of DNA • Nucleoside triphosphate very similar to the finished nucleotides. Contain deoxyribose sugar, bonding to 1 of the 4 bases and a group of phosphate molecules
Step 2: Building Complementary Strands • Nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis reaction cleaves 2 phosphates from nucleoside triphosphate energy released to drive DNA synthesis