DNA Replication

Ch.12.2

AP Biology 2007-2008
 DNA Replication
 Purpose: cells need to make a copy of
DNA before dividing so each daughter
cell has a complete copy of genetic
information
 3 proposed Models of Replication

AP Biology
 Meselson and Stahl Experiment

AP Biology
 Semi-Conservative Model
 Replication of DNA
 base pairing allows
each strand to serve
as a template for a
new strand
 new strand is 1/2

parent template &

1/2 new DNA

AP Biology
 Anti-parallel strands
 Nucleotides in DNA
backbone are bonded from
phosphate to sugar
between 3 & 5 carbons 5 3
 DNA molecule has
“direction”
 complementary strand runs

in opposite direction
THIS WILL CAUSE A
PROBLEM FOR
REPLICATION
AP Biology 3 5
 Bonding in DNA
hydrogen
bonds
5 3

covalent
phosphodiester
bonds

3
5

….strong or weak bonds?

How
AP do the bonds fit the mechanism for copying DNA?
Biology
 DNA Replication
 Large team of enzymes coordinates replication

AP Biology
 Replication: 1st step
 Unwind DNA
 helicase enzyme
 unwinds part of DNA helix
 stabilized by single-stranded binding proteins
 PREVENTS DNA MOLECULE FROM CLOSING!
 DNA gyrase
 Enzyme that prevents tangling upstream from the replication
fork
helicase gyrase

single-stranded binding proteins

AP Biology replication fork
 Replication: 2nd step
 RNA Primase
 Adds small section of RNA (RNA primer) to the
3’ end of template DNA
 Why must this be done?
 DNA polymerase 3 (enzyme that builds new DNA
strand) can only add nucleotides to existing strands
of DNA

AP Biology
 Replication: 3rd step
 Build daughter DNA strand
 add new complementary
bases
 With the help of the enzyme

DNA polymerase III

DNA
Polymerase III
AP Biology
 Replication: 4th step
 Replacement of RNA primer by DNA
 Done by DNA polymerase I

AP Biology
 Okazaki

Leading & Lagging strands

Limits of DNA polymerase III
 can only build onto 3 end of
an existing DNA strand 5


f r ag ments
ki
Okaza 5
3 5 5 3
3
5 Lagging strand
3
ligase
growing 3
replication fork
5
Leading strand

Lagging strand

3 5

3
DNA polymerase III
 Okazaki fragments
 joined by ligase Leading strand
AP Biology
 “spot welder” enzyme  continuous synthesis
 DNA replication on the lagging strand
RNA primer is added
 built by primase
 serves as starter sequence for DNA polymerase III

HOWEVER short segments called Okazaki fragments

are made because it can only go in a 5 3 direction

5

3 5 3
5
3
3 5

growing 3 primase
replication fork DNA polymerase III
5

RNA 5

AP Biology 3
 Replacing RNA primers with DNA
NEXT DNA polymerase I
 removes sections of RNA DNA polymerase I
primer and replaces with 5

DNA nucleotides 3

3
5 ligase
growing 3
replication fork
5

RNA 5

3

STRANDS ARE GLUED

TOGETHER BY DNA LIGASE
AP Biology
 Replication fork
DNA
polymerase III lagging strand
DNA
polymerase I
3’
Okazaki primase
fragments 5’
5’ ligase
3’ 5’ SSB

3’ helicase

DNA
polymerase III
5’ leading strand
3’
direction of replication
AP Biology
SSB = single-stranded binding proteins