DNA Replication
- Copying of DNA during interphase to produce a copy of genetic material that will be
transferred to new cells before cell division (meiosis or mitosis)
- Occurs in the nucleus
- Semi-conservative replication because old 1 is conserved in each dna molecule.
Enzyme Speeds up the rate of the reaction
Steps
1 Helicase, the unzipping enzyme, separates the bond of the nitrogenous bases, thus
the 2 strands of the DNA split, resulting in a replication fork.
● 1 strand = 5’ to 3’ direction which is called the leading strand
● 1 strand = 3’ to 5’ direction which is called the lagging strand
2 Single Stranded Building (SSB) Protein binds to the 2 DNA strands to keep them
separated
3 Primase, the initializing enzyme, starts the process. It makes a small piece of RNA
called RNA primers on both strands by pairing up the free nucleotides found in the
cytoplasm. This marks the starting point of DNA replication. It is important so that
DNA polymerase knows where to start adding the complementary bases.
4
DNA polymerase is the enzyme that adds complementary nucleotides . It can only
add new parts in one direction — from 5’ to 3’ direction. This means:
1. The leading strand is made smoothly and continuously in one piece.
2. The lagging strand is made in small pieces called Okazaki Fragments
because it goes the opposite way.
5
The primase adds a small primer to one fragment of the lagging strand
6
The DNA polymerase adds complementary nucleotides in the 5′ to 3′ direction.
7
Process from step 5 and 6 is repeated until it is done, thus the DNA polymerase
works backward from the replication fork
8
The exonuclease enzyme removes RNA primers of the 2 strands
9
DNA polymerase adds complementary nucleotides
10
Ligase, the glue enzyme, seals the leading and the lagging strands of the DNA
together