DNA Replication

Synthesis Phase (S
phase)

S phase in interphase of the cell

cycle.
S
Nucleus of eukaryotes phase

DNA replication takes

place in the S phase.

G1

interphase

Mitosis
-prophase
-metaphase
-anaphase
-telophase

G2

DNA Nucleotide
Phosphate
Group

O
O=P-O
O

CH2
O
N
C

C4
Sugar
(deoxyribose)

C3

C2

Nitrogenous bas
(A, G, C, or T)

Figure 11.7 Base Pairing in DNA Is Complementary

DNA Replication
DNA Replication

DNA must replicate during each cell

division
THREE alternative models for DNA
replication were hypothesized:

Semiconservative replication
Conservative replication
Dispersive replication

Meselson and
Stahls experiment
proved replication
of DNA to be
semiconservative

Figure 11.8

Watson & Crick predicted

that each DNA strand could
serve as a template for the
replication of a new strand

Q: What is the mode of

replication?

The Mechanism of DNA

Replication

DNA replication is catalyzed by DNA

polymerase
DNA polymerase needs an RNA primer
DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the
3 end of the growing strand
Nucleotides are added by complementary
base pairing with the template strand

Figure

The Mechanism of DNA

Replication
Many proteins assist in DNA replication

DNA helicases unwind the double helix,

the template strands are stabilized by
other proteins

Figure
11.16

The Mechanism of DNA

Replication
Many proteins assist in DNA replication

DNA helicases
RNA primase catalyzes the synthesis of
short RNA primers, to which
nucleotides are added.
DNA polymerase III extends the strand
in the 5-to-3 direction

RNA primase

Figure

The Mechanism of DNA

Replication

DNA synthesis on the leading strand is continuous. It

reads the template in the 3-to -5 direction (the
same direction as helicase)
The lagging strand grows in the opposite direction to
the Replication Fork. DNA is always made in the 5to-3 direction.
Therefore, DNA synthesis on the lagging strand is
discontinuous
DNA is created as short fragments (Okazaki
fragments) that are subsequently ligated together

Figure

The Mechanism of DNA

Replication

Many proteins assist in DNA replication

DNA helicases
RNA primase
DNA polymerase III
DNA polymerase I degrades the RNA
primer and replaces it with DNA
DNA ligase joins the DNA fragments into a
continuous daughter strand

Figure 11.18

Figure 11.8 a