DNA Replication, Repair And Recombination 1 Flashcards
What can result from high mutation rates in somatic cells?
Uncontrolled proliferation/cancer
What is the reaction that DNA polymerase catalyzes?
DNA(n) + dNTP -> DNA(n +1) + P2O7
In order for DNA polymerase to begin replication, what does it require?
A free 3’ -OH
What is the only direction that DNA polymerase can syntesize DNA in?
5’ to 3’ direction
What is the difference between the leading strand and lagging strand?
The leading strand is synthesized continuously, whereas the lagging strand is synthesized in segments.
What takes place immediately after incorrect bases are added?
Exonucleolytic proofreading.
A 3’ to 5’ exonuclease clips off unpaired residues at 3’ primer terminus.
In order to synthesize the lagging strand, what is initially needed?
An RNA primer. This allows DNA polymerase to make an Okazaki fragment.
Once an Okazaki fragment is made, how is the RNA primer removed?
By RNAseH. It replaces the RNA primer with DNA.
What enzyme unwinds DNA at the replication fork?
DNA helicase.
What is the function of single-stranded DNA binding proteins?
They bind tightly and cooperatively to exposed SS DNA.
They help stabilize unwound DNA and prevent the formation of hairpins. The DNA bases also remain exposed.
What is the function of a sliding clamp?
It keeps DNA polymerase on DNA when moving; it releases when double stranded DNA is encountered.
What does the assembly of a sliding clamp require?
A clamp loader. It hydrolyzes ATP as it loads the clap onto a primer-template junction.
As DNA polymerase moves along the leading strand, what other structure remains with the DNA polymerase?
A clamp
Why is a clamp loader needed at the lagging strand?
So it can assemble a new clamp at the start of each Okazaki fragment.
What is mismatch repair?
Repair that removes almost all errors missed by proofreading by detecting distortion caused by mispairing.