Unit 6 - topic 2 Flashcards
DNA replicates during
the S phase of the cell cycle
3 alternative models for DNA replication
conservative
semi-conservative
dispersive
conservative model
the parental strands direct synthesis of an entirely new double stranded molecule
the parental strands are fully conserved
semi-conservative model
the two parental strands each make a copy of itself
after one round of replication, the two daughter cells each have one parental and one new strand
dispersive model
material in the two parental strands in randomly dispersed between the two daughter molecules
after one round of replication, daughter molecules contain a random mix of parental and new DNA
in 1954 Meselson and Stahl
performed an experiment using bacteria
process of Meselson and Stahl’s experiment
- bacteria was cultured with a heavy isotope, 15N
- bacteria was transferred to a medium with a light isotope, 14N
- DNA was centrifuged and analyzed after each replication
by analyzing samples of DNA after each generation
it was found that the parental strands were following the semi-conservative model
DNA replication begins at sites called
origins of replication
various proteins will attach to the origin of replication and open the DNA to form a
replication fork
replication fork
prime spot for action in DNA replication
helicase
unwinds the DNA strands at each replication fork
to keep the DNA from re-bonding with itself
proteins called single stranded binding proteins (SSBPs) bind to the DNA to keep it open
topoisomerase
will help prevent strain ahead of the replication fork by relaxing supercoiling
primase
an enzyme that initiates replication by adding short segments of RNA called primers to the parental DNA strand