GENE2230 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Semiconservative Replication, Dna Polymerase Iii Holoenzyme, High Fidelity
Document Summary
Each dna strand serves as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. This is due to specific base pairing, where only one sequence of bases can be specified by each template. Therefore, each dna molecule remains intact (conserved) despite no longer being combined in the same molecule. Original dna molecule is halved (semi-conserved) throughout the replication process. Meselson-stahl experiment uses nitrogen isotopes and density centrifugation to determine that dna replicates in a semiconservative manner. Dna replication in prokaryotes: the initiator protein binds to the origin of replication. Helicase unwind the dna into two single separate strands. Since prokaryotic dna is usually circular in prokaryotes such as bacteria, this creates a loop called the replication bubble. The point of unwinding of the two dna strands into single separate template strands is called the replication fork: single-stranded binding proteins bind to the separate single dna strands.
