DNA
Replicati
on
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Lauren Jackson, MSEd, MPH
Replication
Facts
• Each DNA molecule needs to
be copied before a cell
divides, making another cell
• New cells will need the
identical DNA strands found
in the original cell…this
ensures your skin cell
makes another properly
functioning skin cell!
• But how does it do this?
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Basic Idea
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• Each strand of DNA is connected via carbons
on the sugar “house” and each strand runs
“antiparallel” to each other, meaning they
are bonded going in different directions….it
looks like one side has nucleotides up right
and the other side is upside down
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– One strand will start with the 5th carbon of a
nucleotide and ending on the 3rd carbon of a
nucleotide
– The other strand will start with the 3rd carbon
of a nucleotide and ending on the 5th carbon
of a nucleotide
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The DNA Replication
Process
• DNA replication starts with a strand
of DNA opening at a place on the
DNA, creating Replication Bubbles
that form at a site of origin
• Prokaryotes (bacteria) have a single
site of origin
• Eukaryotic chromosomes have many
sites of origin (seen below)
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DNA Replication
• The Enzyme Topoisomerase
attaches to the double helix
of DNA to relieve stress as
the DNA molecule begins to
straighten
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DNA Replication
• Enzyme Helicase will
further unwind and
straighten DNA completely
separates then breaks the
hydrogen bonds, separating
the two strands of DNA
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DNA Replication
• Single-Strand Binding
Proteins (SSBP) attach
and keep the 2 DNA
strands separated and
prevent them reannealing
or coming back together
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Replication of
Strands
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DNA Replication
• Before new DNA strands can
form, there must be RNA
primers present to start the
addition of new nucleotides
• Primase is the enzyme that
adds the RNA Primers so that
DNA polymerase III will know
where to add nucleotides
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Replication of
Strands
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DNA Replication
• DNA polymerase III can only
add nucleotides in a 5’ prime
to 3’ prime direction, along
the parent strand….it does
this continuously, creating a
leading strand
5’ 3’
RNA
5’
DNA Polymerase Primer
Nucleotide
Direction of Replication
copyright cmassengale 13
Replication of
Strands
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DNA Replication
• After DNA polymerase III adds
the nucleotides, DNA
polymerase I must remove the
RNA primers set forth by
primase, and add in the
correct DNA nucleotides.
5’ 3’
5’
RNA
Nucleotides DNA Polymerase Primer
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Replication of
Strands
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DNA Replication
• The Lagging Strand is made 3’ prime to
5’ prime, which is a problem, because
remember DNA Polymerase III can only
add nucleotides in the 5’ prime to 3
prime direction which causes the
lagging strand to be synthesized
discontinuously against the overall
direction of replication......which
means primase has to add RNA primers
every few sections,which causes gaps
between the nucleotides
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Replication of
Strands
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Lagging Strand
Segments
• Okazaki Fragments - series
of short segments or primer and
nucleotides created on the
lagging strand because DNA
Polymerase is running 5’-3’
on a strand that is 3’-5’
DNA
Okazaki Fragment Polymerase
RNA
Primer
5’ 3’
3’ 5’
Lagging Strand
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Replication of
Strands
copyright cmassengale 20
Joining of Okazaki
Fragments
• The enzyme Ligase replaces
all phosphodiester and
hydrogen bonds of the newly
made nucleotides, making a
completed DNA molecule. It
does this for both the leading
and lagging strands
DNA ligase
Okazaki Fragment 1 Okazaki Fragment 2
5’ 3’
3’ Lagging Strand
5’
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Replication of
Strands
copyright cmassengale 22
Practice Question:
• What would be the
complementary DNA
strand for the following
DNA sequence if it were
to go through DNA
replication?
Original DNA 3’-CGTATG-5’
New DNA 5’-_______-3’
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Answer:
DNA 3’-CGTATG-5’
DNA 5’-GCATAC-3’
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