SCIENCE WORKBOOK
GRADE LEVEL QUARTER/DOMAIN WEEK LC CODE
3 /LIVING THINGS AND
rd
10 THEIR ENVIRONMENT 4A S10LT-IIId-37
(BIOLOGY)
Name:______________________________ Grade and Section:_______ Score: __
TOPIC: REPLICATION OF DNA
LEARNING COMPETENCY: The learners should be able to explain how protein is made using information from
DNA.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the genetic material of all organisms on Earth from microbes to plants and
human beings. An organism’s complete set of DNAs, including all of its genes is called genome. A genome contains
a complete set of information which determines inherited physical characteristics such as height, skin, eye and hair
color and many others. Every cell in a human body nearly has similar DNA and in eukaryotic cells (cells that contain a
nucleus and organelles, and are enclosed by a plasma membrane). The DNA is a thin long molecule found in the
cell’s nucleus which is made up of nucleotides. The basic structure of nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, sugar
and a nitrogenous base which will be further discussed in the next lessons. The four different type of nucleotides of
DNA are adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine which are represented by their first letter A, T, G, C. These four
nucleotides are paired as (Adenine-Thymine) and (Guanine-Cytosine) into billions to organize a double helix
structure.
Try to look closely at the given structure of DNA.
Figure 1. Illustration to show the structure of DNA double helix. (1)
DNA molecules fold into paired packages called chromosomes that are stored in the nucleus of the cell.
Different species have different numbers of chromosomes, and humans have 23 pairs. Chromosome contain many
genes and on each string of DNA contains the gene which is the basic unit of heredity and a segment that describes
how a certain protein is made.
Figure 2. Illustration to show that a cell contains the genome, chromosomes, DNA and genes. (2)James Watson and
Francis Crick in 1953, worked out that DNA is double helix which appears like a staircase. The sides of the double
helix structure are the sugar phosphate backbones and the steps or rungs are the base pairs.
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DNA Replication is the process of DNA duplication from an existing DNA. The replication of DNA is important
for the growth repair and reproduction of cells of an organism. This process occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells
before a cell divides either by mitosis of meiosis. When a cell divides, each resulting cell keeps a copy of all of your
chromosomes.
The major key players in DNA replication are the enzymes helicase, primase, DNA polymerase and ligase.
Helicase is the unzipping enzyme and unzips the two strands of DNA in the double helix through the hydrogen bond
that holds the two base pairs together. Primase will initialize the process and directs the DNA polymerase for it to
figure out where it gets to start. This primer is the starting point for DNA synthesis. The primers are made of RNA
(Ribonucleic Acid). Its major role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis
of proteins. DNA polymerase is the builder enzyme which replicates DNA molecules in order to build a new strand of
DNA. Ligase is the gluer. which helps glue DNA fragments together to form the new strand of DNA.
Let us now proceed to the three major steps of DNA replication (initiation, elongation and termination) and see
what happens in each stage.
Step 1: Initiation
DNA replication starts at the Origin of Replication. The unzipping enzyme Helicase, causes the DNA strand
separation, which leads to the formation of the replication fork. It breaks the hydrogen bond between the base pairs to
separate the strand, thus separating the DNA into individual strands.
Step 2: Elongation
During elongation, DNA Polymerase III makes the new DNA strand by reading the nucleotides on the
template strand and binding one nucleotide after the other to generate a whole new complementary strand. It helps in
the proofreading and repairing the new strand. DNA Polymerase is able to identify and back track any mis paired
nucleotides and corrects it immediately. The bases attached to each strand then pair up with the three nucleotides
found in the cytoplasm. If it finds an Adenine (A) on the template, it will only add a Thymine (T). If it finds a Guanine
(G) on the template, it will only add a Cytosine (C).
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Step 3. Termination: In the previous steps of DNA replication, at the Origin, a Primer helps the DNA Polymerase to
initiate the process. As the strand is created, the primer has to be removed. This is when DNA Polymerase I comes
into the picture to replace the RNA nucleotides from the Primer with DNA nucleotides to make sure it is DNA all the
way through. When DNA Polymerase III adds nucleotides to the lagging strand and forms Okazaki fragments, it
leaves a gap or two between the fragments. These gaps are filled by the enzyme ligase and makes sure that
everything else is connected.
Figure 3. DNA replication process. (5)
Figure 4. DNA Replication process. (6)
The Replication process is considered complete once all the Primers are removed and Ligase has filled in all
the remaining gaps between the Okazaki Fragments. This process gives us two identical copies of the original DNA
molecule. This whole replication process is happening in billions of cells in your body even at this very moment. The
original DNA is called the template DNA, while the replicate DNA is called the complement DNA, both templates
IDENTICAL as shown in Figure 4!
Now, you might ask this question; ‘Why is it important for DNA TO UNDERGO REPLICATION?” Well, it is
important for DNA present in the nucleus to be replicated so that every new cell receives the appropriate number of
chromosomes. This process is necessary for cell repair and growth and reproduction in living organisms.
Activity 1: Word Shuffle
Word shuffle is an activity which helps strengthen your speed in processing learned information. To
understand the words better, a definition or a clue is given on the right side of the sheet. One way of getting the word
correctly is by looking at the definition and the shuffled letters and align them both to arrive at the correct answer.
I. Learning the Skill: Identifying Words in Context
1. First, read the definition or clue on Column C.
2. If the word is not defined directly, read several sentences beyond the one in which the word first appears.
These sentences may provide information about the definition of the word.
3. Next, identify the word based on what we have discussed earlier.
4. Write the correct term on Column A.
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Identify the correct term using the shuffled letters in Column B using the given definition or clue on Column
C.
A. Correct Word B. Shuffled Word C. Definition or Clue
1 UOEBLD XHILE Structure of a DNA.
2 OTSYINEC The nucleotide pair of Guanine.
XOEDCIELCUNOYBIR
3 Contains the genomes.
CADI
4 RPCATILEOIN Process of DNA duplication from an existing DNA
5 ELIHCSAE Enzyme that unzips the DNA strand during replication.
6 BSEA What do you call the Adenine-Thymine pair?
Fragments of DNA that are produced during the process of DNA
7 OKAKIZA
replication
The type of bond which breaks down when helicase starts to
8 YDRGOHNE
unzip the DNA strand.
Basic unit of heredity which carries the characteristic of parents to
9 ENGE
children.
This is the step of DNA replication where the DNA Polymerase
10 OLAIONTNEG creates new strands of nucleotide specifically paired to another
nucleotide.
II. Answer the following questions. Express your answers briefly but concise.
1. What do you call the process which converts the instructions in the DNA into a functional biological product
called Protein? (3 points)
2. What is the genetic material of all organisms on Earth from microbes to plants and human beings? (3 points)
3. What do you call the process of DNA duplication from an existing DNA and is also considered important for
the growth repair and reproduction of cells of an organism? (3 points)
4. What are the three major steps in DNA Replication? (3 points)
5. What are the major key players in DNA replication? (3 points)
III. Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following enzymes is used to join strands of DNA?
A. DNA Ligase B. Primase C. Nucleic Acid D. DNA Polymerase
2. According to the central dogma, which of the following represents the flow of genetic information in cells?
A. protein to DNA to RNA B. DNA to RNA to protein C. RNA to DNA to protein D. DNA to protein to
RNA
3. What happens during the start of DNA replication?
A. The bonds between nitrogen base and deoxyribose sugar break.
B. The leading strands produce the Ozaraki fragments.
C. The hydrogen bonds between the nucleotides of two strands break.
D. The phosphodiester bonds between the nucleotides break.
4. Unwinding of the DNA is done by which enzyme?
A. Ligase B. Helicase C. Hexonuclease D. DNA Polymerase
5. By the end of DNA replication, a new DNA is formed with what structure?
A. Hexagonal B. Linear C. Double Helix D. Planar
6. DNA replication is possible due to:
A. Hydrogen bond. B. Complementary base pairing C. Phosphate backbone D. Nucleotides
7. Proofreading and repair of a DNA strand occurs during:
A. Initiation [Link] C. Termination D. Polymerization
8. The synthesis of DNA by DNA polymerase occurs in the
A. 3' to 5' direction B. 5' to 5' direction C. 5' to 3' direction D.3' to 3' direction
9. During which of the following process a new copy of a DNA molecule is precisely synthesized?
A. Transformation B. Transcription C. Translation D. Replication
10. What is the purpose of a DNA primer?
A. To build the daughter strand of DNA.
B. To unwind the double helix.
C. To terminate the process of DNA replication.
D. To initiate the process of DNA replication.
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