Topic: DNA Structure – the Watson and Crick Model

Learning Outcome 3 - Model the process of DNA replication using

Watson and Crick DNA Model, including the nucleotide composition,
pairing and bonding.

DNA replication is simply making an exact copy or replica of the DNA.

DNA replication occurs during the interphase stage so that the DNA is
equally distributed in the new cells that are produced as a result of cell
division. In cell division and particularly meiosis, it does not produce
an exact copy.
DNA is the polymer of monomers called nucleotides. The nucleotide is
made up of a phosphate group bonded by a phosphodiester bond to
the deoxyribose sugar. The deoxyribose sugar is bonded by hydrogen
bonds to a nitrogenous base.
James Watson and Francis Crick were two scientists who unraveled the DNA
structure as a double helix (interwinding of two complementary strands of DNA
around one another and around a common helical axis). Erwin Chargaff found
that in DNA, the ratios of adenine (A) = thymine (T) and guanine (G) = cytosine
(C) are equal. This parity is obvious in the final DNA structure. The amount of
purines is always equal to the amount of pyrimidines. For instance if the DNA is
30 percent adenine, how much would be thymine, cytosine and guanine?
 
The DNA strands run antiparallel to each other. This is very important for pairing
of base pairs and the bonding of hydrogen bonds, for stability of the DNA strands
and for the leading and lagging strands. DNA replication and synthesis is from
the 5 prime to 3 prime direction.
Step 1: DNA replication starts with a double-stranded DNA helix molecule.
Step 2: The enzyme, helicase, attaches to and unwinds the double-stranded
DNA helix. Helicase also facilitates the breaking of hydrogen bonds between
the nitrogenous bases (Adenine, Thymine, Guanine and Cytosine). This would
lead to the separation of the two DNA strands.
Step 3: Each of the two now separated DNA single strands act as templates for
free (available) nucleotides from the nucleoplasm (inside nuclear membrane)
to join via complementary base pairing, i.e. Adenine bonds with Thymine and
Guanine bonds with Cytosine. The enzyme, DNA polymerase, moves along the
DNA strands during this process to catalyse the reaction, allowing
complementary base pairing to occur.
Step 4: The enzyme, DNA ligase, secures each of the new DNA strands formed
with free nucleotides (monomers) with complementary base pairing.
Step 5: Each DNA double strands return to their chemical stable state by
winding up spontaneously to form a two double-stranded DNA helix.
 Topic: DNA Replication - the Watson and Crick Model:
1. Briefly outline the five steps in the DNA replication.
2. Explain why DNA replication is said to be semiconservative?
3. The DNA complementary strands run from 5 prime to 3 prime in one strand and 3 prime
to 5 prime in the other strand which run antiparallel to each other. What does it mean
DNA strands run antiparallel?
4. State the functions of the following enzymes
a) DNA helicase enzyme
b) DNA polymerase enzyme
c) DNA primase enzymes
d) DNA ligase enzymes
5.For each of the following, state what they are in DNA replication.
a) Replication folk
b) Primer
c) Ozaki fragments
d) 3’ and 5’ primes
e) Leading and lagging strands.