In 

molecular biology, 
•DNA replication is the biological process of
producing two identical replicas of DNA from one
original DNA molecule.

•This process occurs in all living organisms and is

the basis for biological inheritance.
• DNA is made up of a double helix of two
complementary strands.

• During replication, these strands are

separated.

• Each strand of the original DNA molecule

then serves as a template for the production
of its counterpart, a process referred to
as semiconservative replication.
DNA goes through a type of replication
called semiconservative replication,

which means one strand on the DNA helix is

new and the other strand is old.
 The Basic Principle: Base Pairing to a Template
Strand

• Since the two strands of DNA are

complementary

– Each strand acts as a template for building a

new strand in replication
 • In DNA replication
– The parent molecule unwinds, and two new
daughter strands are built based on base-
pairing rules

T
A T A T A A T A T A T
C G C G C G C G C G C G
T A T A T A T A T A T A
A T A T A T A T A T A T
G C G C G C C G C G C
G

(a) The parent molecule has two
complementary strands of DNA.
Each base is paired by hydrogen
bonding with its specific partner,
A with T and G with C.
(b) The first step in replication is
separation of the two DNA
strands.
(c) Each parental strand now
serves as a template that
determines the order of
nucleotides along a new,
complementary strand.
(d) The nucleotides are connected
to form the sugar-phosphate
backbones of the new strands.
Each “daughter” DNA
molecule consists of one parental
strand and one new strand.

Figure 16.9 a–d

 DNA Replication

• The copying of DNA

– Is remarkable in its speed and accuracy

• More than a dozen enzymes and other

proteins
– Participate in DNA replication
 Elongating a New DNA Strand
Elongation of new DNA at a replication fork
– Is catalyzed by enzymes called DNA polymerases, which add nucleotides
to the 3 end of a growing strand

New strand Template strand

5 end 3 end 5 end 3 end

Sugar A T A T
Phosphate Base

C G C G

G C G C

A T A
T OH
P P P
P
P C Pyrophosphate3 end C
OH
2 P
Nucleoside
Figure 16.13 triphosphate 5 end 5 end
• DNA polymerases add nucleotides
– Only to the free 3end of a growing strand

• Along one template strand of DNA, the

leading strand
– DNA polymerase III can synthesize a
complementary strand continuously, moving
toward the replication fork
• To elongate the other new strand of DNA,
the lagging strand
– DNA polymerase III must work in the direction
away from the replication fork

• The lagging strand

– Is synthesized as a series of segments called
Okazaki fragments, which are then joined
together by DNA ligase
Exons and Introns

Exon: In eukaryotes, an exon is a part of a gene

that codes for part of a protein

Intron: In eukaryotes, an intron is a part of a gene

that does not code for any part of a protein
 Introns and exons are parts of genes.
1. Exons are coding areas whereas introns are non-coding areas.

2. An exon is termed as a nucleic acid sequence which is represented

in the RNA molecule. Introns, on the other hand, are termed as
nucleotide sequences seen within the genes which are removed
through RNA splicing for generating a mature RNA molecule.

3. It can also be seen that introns are less conserved which means that
their sequence changes very frequently over time. On the contrary,
exons are very much conserved.

4. Exons are codes of proteins; introns are not at all implicated with the
protein coding.
5. Exons can be termed as DNA bases which are
translated into mRNA. Introns are also DNA bases that are
found in between exons.

6. Introns are very much common in the genome of higher

vertebrates such as human beings and mice but unlikely to
be seen in the genome of certain varieties of eukaryotic
micro-organisms.
In most eukaryotic genes, coding regions (exons) are
interrupted by noncoding regions (introns).

During transcription, the entire gene is copied into a pre-

mRNA, which includes exons and introns.

During the process of RNA splicing, introns are removed

and exons joined to form a contiguous coding sequence.
This "mature" mRNA is ready for translation.
 What is pre-mRNA?

• When an RNA transcript is first made in a

eukaryotic cell, it is considered a pre-mRNA and
must be processed into a messenger
RNA (mRNA).
 What is Mature messenger RNA?

• Mature messenger RNA, often abbreviated as mature

mRNA is a eukaryotic RNA transcript that has
been spliced and processed and is ready for translation in the
course of protein synthesis.

• Unlike the eukaryotic RNA immediately

after transcription known as precursor messenger RNA,
mature mRNA consists exclusively of exons and has
all introns removed.

• Mature mRNA is also called "mature transcript", "mature

RNA" or "mRNA".