The Replicon Flashcards
synonymous mutation
A mutation in the genetic code that changes the DNA nucleotide sequence and RNA nucleotide sequence but does not ultimately change the encoded amino acid
nonsynonymous mutation
A mutation in the genetic code that changes the DNA and RNA nucleotide sequences as well as the encoded amino acid
the replicon
A region of a chromosome that replicates as a single unit starting at a specific origin of replication
- a unit of DNA in which individual acts of replication occur; contains an origin and may have a terminus
- can be linear or circular
origin of replication
The start point of DNA replication
unidirectional replication
Form of DNA replication in which the replication fork proceeds in one direction only
- replication fork created at the origin
bidirectional replication
Form of DNA replication in which the replication fork proceeds in both directions
- when origin creates two replication forks that move in opposite directions
plasmid
Small extrachromosomal circular DNA molecule that can replicate independently of the main cellular chromosome
- autonomous circular DNA genome that constitutes a separate replicon
extrachromosomal
Nucleic acids present in a cell, that are not a part of the main chromosome
in vivo
Preforming an experiment within a living organism
in vitro
Preforming an experiment under highly controlled conditions outside of a living organism.
how many replicons to bacteria have? how many do humans have?
- bacteria usually only has one replicon
- humans typically have thousands of replicons in each chromosome
- ours typically has 10,000 replicons
what is the bacterial genome?
- the bacterial genome is the replicon
what are some examples of replicons?
- bacterial chromosome
- eukaryotic chromosomes
- plasmids
- mitochondrial genome
- phage
- virus
how do bacterial chromosomes terminate?
- they may or may not have a terminus
- most common way is for DNA polymerases to crash into one another (humans do this)
- E. coli have a different mechanism
what is the termination mechanism E. Coli have?
- there are sequences that designate the termination point
- in bacteria you do not want DNA replication to go in the opposite direction because the opposite is for transcription - especially for ribosomes
what organelles contain origins of replications?
- nucleus
- chloroplasts
- mitochondria
what does the initiation of DNA replication commit the cell to?
- commits the cell to division
- division must not occur until after replication is completed
- replication is controlled at the stage of initiation and is highly regulated
what are the ways you can map replication?
- autoradiography
- fluorescent labelling
- electrophoresis
- electron microscopy
what are the types of replication control?
single copy and multicopy
single copy
- replicates once alongside bacterial chromosome
- Usually when the bacterial chromosome itself replicates
- Have a mechanism to make sure each copy is segregated to each daughter cell
multicopy
- present in more copies than bacterial chromosome
- small plasmids do this
unidirectional
- replication in only one direction
- mitochondria
bidirectional
- replication is two directions
- bacterial and eukaryotic chromosomes
replication fork
- separation of the two strands of DNA
- at each end of the replication eye
- also called a theta structure
- initiated at the origin
- moves sequentially along DNA