Evidence for DNA replication Flashcards

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1
Q

What did Watson and Crick discover? What was the hypothesis that they made?

A
  • Discovered structure of DNA.
  • Hypothesis: DNA replicated by semi- conservative replication rather than conservative replication.
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2
Q

What experiment proved Watson and Crick’s hypothesis that DNA replicated by semi- conservative replication?

A
  • Meselson and Stahls experiment.
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3
Q

What is semi conservative replication vs conservative replication?

A
  • Semi- conservative: Each daughter DNA copy has one original DNA strand and one newly synthesised DNA strand.
  • Conservative: During replication, original DNA remains intact/ two newly- synthesised strands join together.
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4
Q

What element do DNA bases contain?

A
  • Nitrogen
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5
Q

What are the two isotopes of nitrogen used in the mediums in Meselson and Stahl’s experiment? Which isotope is heavier/ which is lighter?

A
  • ¹⁴N: lighter
  • ¹⁵N: heavier
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6
Q

What do the bacteria in Meselson and Stahl’s experiment do?

A
  • The bacteria takes in the nitrogen isotopes (that would be in the mediums they are grown in) to make new DNA nucleotides.
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7
Q

What would the weight be like of the DNA of bacteria grown in medium containing ¹⁴N isotope vs medium containing ¹⁵N isotope?

A
  • Bacteria grown in medium containing ¹⁴N will have DNA that only contains this isotope/ the DNA will be lighter.
  • Bacteria grown in medium containing ¹⁵N will have DNA that only contains this isotope/ the DNA will be heavier.
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8
Q

What can we do to DNA samples to confirm their density (ie. to confirm whether their DNA contains ¹⁴N or contains ¹⁵N isotope?) What would results be for DNA containing ¹⁴N isotope? (how about ¹⁵N ?)

A
  • DNA samples can be spun in centrifuge to confirm density
  • ¹⁵N DNA will setlle lower down as it is more dense.
  • ¹⁴N DNA will settle higher up as it is less dense.
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9
Q

Outline the main steps of Meselson and Stahl’s experiment.

A

1.) Grew E coli in growth medium that only contained ¹⁵N.
2.) Transferred E coli to growth medium that only contained ¹⁴N (allowed bacteria- and therefore the DNA- to divide once only.)
3.) E coli left in ¹⁴N growth medium/ allowed bacteria/ DNA to replicate for 2nd time.
4.) E coli left in ¹⁴N growth medium/ allowed bacteria/ DNA to replicate for 3rd time.

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10
Q

In the first stage of Meselson and Stahl’s experiment, analyse position of DNA after centrifugation and therefore the DNA sample?

A
    • DNA settled at bottom (after centrifugation.)
  • 100% of DNA made up of 2 strands of ¹⁵N DNA.
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11
Q

In the second stage (1st round of division in ¹⁴N medium) of Meselson and Stahl’s experiment, analyse position of DNA after centrifugation and therfore the DNA sample? Explain what happens to the DNA during this 1st round of DNA replication

A
  • DNA settles at a higher position (after centrifugation.)
  • 100% of DNA contains 1 ¹⁵N strand and 1 ¹⁴N strand.
  • Doube helix unwinds into 2 separate strands (each strand is ¹⁵N DNA.)
  • These strands act as a template for newly synthesised DNA (both strands will be ¹⁴N as this is only isotope available.)
  • So, each of the two copies will have one ¹⁴N strand and one ¹⁵N strand.
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12
Q

In the third stage (2nd round of division in ¹⁴N medium) of Meselson and Stahl’s experiment, analyse position of DNA after centrifugation and therfore the DNA sample? Explain what happens to the DNA during this 2nd round of DNA replication

A
  • 2 bands in centrifuge. 1 band (lower in centrifuge –> heavier ) = 50% of DNA has one strand ¹⁴N/ one strand ¹⁵N. Other 50% of DNA (2nd band = higher up in centrifuge –> lighter) has two strands of ¹⁴N.
  • 4 strands on 2 DNA molecules separate/ act as templates.
  • All of the newly synthesised strands will be ¹⁴N/ lighter strands.
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13
Q

In the fourth stage of Meselson and Stahl’s experiment (3rd round of division in ¹⁴N medium) , analyse position of DNA after centrifugation and therfore the DNA sample? Explain what happens to the DNA during this 2nd round of DNA replication

A
  • 2 bands in centrifuge. 1 band = (lower in centrifuge –> heavier) = 25% of DNA has one strand ¹⁴N/ one strand ¹⁵N.
  • 2nd band = (higher in centrifuge –> lighter) =75% of DNA has one strand ¹⁴N/ one strand ¹⁴N (lighter.)
  • 8 strands on 4 DNA molecules separate/ act as templates.
  • All of the newly synthesised strands will be ¹⁴N/ lighter strands.
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14
Q

What would’ve happened in the first round of replication in ¹⁴N medium of the experiment if it was conservative replication/ not semi- conservative replication?

A
  • 1 DNA molecule will have both of its strands as ¹⁵N/ other DNA molecule will have both of its strands as ¹⁴N.
  • After centrifugation, there hypothetically would be 2 bands.
  • 1st band would be higher: contains 50% of DNA with both strands ¹⁴N and 2nd band would be lower: contains 50% of DNA with both strands ¹⁵N.
  • THIS IS NOT WHAT WAS FOUND - RATHER 100% of DNA was formed in middle band in test-tube.
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15
Q

When we say a DNA strand is ¹⁴N, what does this exactly mean?

A
  • This means the DNA strand’s nucleotides’ bases contain the isotope of nitrogen, ¹⁴N.
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16
Q

How are DNA samples separated accoring to their density in this practical?

A
  • Separated using centrifuge.