The Process of Semi-Conservative Replication

Question 1

DNA replication occurs in preparation for mitosis, when a parent cell divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells – as each daughter cell contains the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, the number of DNA molecules in the parent cell must be doubled before mitosis takes place

DNA replication occurs during the ………
phase of the cell cycle (which occurs during interphase, when a cell is not dividing)

Answer 1

S

Question 2

The enzyme DNA helicase

Answer 2

unwinds the DNA double helix by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs on the two antiparallel polynucleotide DNA strands to form two single polynucleotide DNA strands

Question 3

Each of these single polynucleotide DNA strands acts as a ………….. for the formation of a new strand made from free nucleotides that are attracted to the exposed DNA bases by ………

Answer 3

template

base pairing

Question 4

The new nucleotides are then joined together by

Answer 4

DNA polymerase which catalyses condensation reactions to form a new strand

Question 5

The original strand and the new strand joined together through

Answer 5

hydrogen bonding between base pairs to form the new DNA molecule

Question 6

This method of replicating DNA is known as semi-conservative replication because

Answer 6

n because half of the original DNA molecule is kept (conserved) in each of the two new DNA molecules