DNA REPLICATION

 Process of duplication in order to pass on the code to offspring

 DNA copies itself before cellular division thru semiconservative replication (each “old” DNA
strand is the template upon which each “new” strand is synthesized)

 Requires enzymes that separate the strands, copy its template, and produce 2 complete
daughter molecules.

SEMICONSERVATIVE REPLICATION

-DNA will divide/unzip into two strands. And both of these two strands are responsible and they act as
templates in order to duplicate.

It has two qualities:

BIDIRECTIONAL REPLICATION 

-the replication of the bacterial DNA begins at one point and this point is known as the replication forte
and it proceeds in both direction and eventually, they will meet

DIFFERENT ENZYMES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLICATION:

Helicase- responsible for the unzipping the DNA helix

Primase- synthesizing an RNA primer

DNA Polymerase III

- adding bases to new DNA strand

-possesses proofreading function allowing now the enzyme to confirm that the appropriate nucleotide
was inserted and to collect any errors that were made

Gyrase- supercoiling

-REPLICATION INVOLVES-

1. Uncoiling of parent DNA molecule

 2. Unzipping the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs----separating the 2 strands and exposing
the nucleotide sequence of each strand to serve as template

3. Synthesizing 2 new strands by attachment of the correct complementary nucleotides to each

single-stranded template 

 The circular bacterial DNA molecule replicates by means of a replicon

 Replicon is an origin of replication and all of the DNA replicated from that origin

 A bacterial chromosome contains only a single origin of replication, thus the entire chromosome
consists of a single replicon.

 The origin of replication is a short sequence rich in adenine and thymine and requires less
energy to separate the 2 strands.

 Replication begins when a RNA primer is synthesized and enters at the initiation site (serves as
starting point for adding nucleotides)

 The leading strand (synthesized in 5’ to 3’ direction) is synthesized as a continuous, complete

strand.

 The lagging strand (strand w/ 3' to 5' direction) cannot be synthesized continuously; fragments
are attached to the growing end of the lagging strand

 The duplicated strand loops down → full circle→ linking of fragments →  complete synthesis and
separation of 2 circular daughter molecules

 The language of DNA exists in the order of groups of 3 consecutive base pairs called triplets
(codon) on one DNA strand

 Each triplet represents a code for a particular amino acid. When the triplet code is transcribed
and translated, it dictates the type and order of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

 Replication of the bacterial DNA is bidirectional, in the process, 2 old strands of DNA are
separated of & used as templates to synthesize new strands (semiconservative replication)

Replication requires many enzymes.

 DNA polymerases possess “proofreading” functions that allow the enzyme to confirm that the
appropriate nucleotide was inserted & to correct any errors that were made.