Maintenance And Use Of Genetic Information Flashcards
What are the 4 parts of the cell cycle
G1
S
G2
M
(G0)
What is G1
The growth or gap phase- the amount in time between the M and S stages
The cell is reacting to the environment by ensuring it has the nutrient sufficient for cell division and in particular DNA replication and also ensuring that there are enough growth factors to promote it to S phase
What happens during G2
Preparation for mitosis-
The chromosomes are segregated accurately
The spindles start to form
Summarise replication
DNA is unwound- this exposes the bases
Daughter strands of DNA synthesised, using parent strand as a template
Semi Conservative Replication
Each new DNA molecule will contain:
- one original parent strand
- one daughter strand
How is DNA replication initiated
Not initiated at random point- originates with proteins interacting with DNA sequences at “origin of replication”
Base pairs of the double helix must be broken to allow the DNA molecule to unwind, exposing the bases. Allows for DNA polymerase to access the bases- synthesising the new strands using original ones as a template
there are multiple pints of origin or replication along its length
Replication forks are formed
Describe what is done to ensure that base pairs do not reform
The most energetically favourable state of the DNA is when the two bases are paired up- energy is required to break H bonds.
- DNA Helicase unwinds the DNA to expose the bases
- The bases pairs will want to reform hence the single stranded binding proteins will attach into each strand, preventing the intermediate reforming
Describe Problem 1
POSITIVE SUPERCOILING - by pulling the strands apart, it increases their winding about each other along the molecule - can lead to a double strand break
How is positive supercoiling prevented
A topoisomerase breaks the phosphodiester bond in one of the the parental strands- this provides a degree of freedom around which remained of helix can unwind.
Comment on the direction for which DNA polymerase works in
DNA polymerase can only synthesise in the 5’ —> 3’ direction ( the new strand )
This results in a different mode of replication for the two parents strands- ie DNA polymerase running in topologically opposite directions
Leading strands
The strand that is synthesised continuously
Lagging strand
The strand that is synthesises discontinuously- this is because DNA polymerase synthesising in 5’—>3’ - the synthesis on this strand must occur again at the beginning of every fork
NB OKAZAKI FRAGMENT
Describe problem 2
DNA cannot initiate the DNA Synthesising, it can only add the nucleotides to pre existing chains
How is Problem 2 solved
RNA polymerase initiates RNA synthesis so DNA synthesis can start on the short RNA primer
The RNA primer, 8-10 nucleotides long, leaves a free 3’ end. Allows for DNA polymerase to take off extending the 3’ end of the RNA primer
Describe how the Okazaki fragments can be joined up
DNA polymerase extend DNA 5’-3’ direction until it reaches the next RNA primer
Exonuclease degrades primer leaving a gap
DNA polymerase continuous the extension of the strand across the gap.
The Okazaki fragments are now next to each other. A 5’-3’ phosphodiester bond is now put ion place by DNA ligase. This joins the fragments together
How are the leading and lagging strand synthesis coordinated?
Despite the fact that the two strands are running in topologically opposite directions, a lagging strand loop helps with this