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DNA Structure & Replication

DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is a double helix structure made of nucleotides that contain genetic information. DNA replication is the process by which a cell copies its DNA to ensure that daughter cells receive a complete set of chromosomes during cell division. The replication process involves enzymes that unzip the DNA, add nucleotides, and proofread for errors, resulting in two identical DNA strands.

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11 views17 pages

DNA Structure & Replication

DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is a double helix structure made of nucleotides that contain genetic information. DNA replication is the process by which a cell copies its DNA to ensure that daughter cells receive a complete set of chromosomes during cell division. The replication process involves enzymes that unzip the DNA, add nucleotides, and proofread for errors, resulting in two identical DNA strands.

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dilanyanalen0808
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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DNA Structure and

DNA Replication
What is DNA?
• Deoxyribonucleic Acid
• DNA is made up of two strands wrapped
around one another called a Double Helix
• DNA is a polymer that is made up of the
monomer called nucleotides
• DNA is the biomolecule that contains all of
your genes (genetic material) - the
information that helps define who you are!
Structure of DNA
- DNA is made of several nucleotides bonded together
- Structure of a nucleotide:
- Phosphate, sugar, base
- Every nucleotide has the same phosphate and
sugar, but a different base
- The base is one of 4 options for DNA: Adenine (A), Guanine (G),
Cytosine (c ), Thymine (T)
Sugar Phosphate Backbone
- Sugar and phosphates will bind to each other and
form a long chain called a sugar phosphate backbone
- Protective outer casing
- Held together by much stronger phosphodiester
bonds
- Only completely bases can pair up across the middle
of the helix = complementary base pairing
- A to T
- G to C
- Bases held together by WEAK hydrogen bonds!
- 3 bases code for an amino acid, this group of 3 bases
is called a codon
Note: You do not need to memorize the organic structures, but understand that
the 5 carbon sugar and phosphate create the outer backbone of the DNA
molecules
What is DNA replication?
DNA replication is the process by which
all the DNA in a cell makes a copy of
itself.
- in eukaryotes that means a copy of all the
chromosomes!
- human example: we have 46 chromosomes
so they would all have to be copied!

before replication after replication


Why does it have to happen?
To ensure that the daughter cells produced through
cellular division each have a full set of DNA.
2 chromosomes

Parent cell

S phase

2 chromosomes

Do the daughter cells have the


same number and type of Mitosis (M phase) 2 chromosomes

chromosomes as the parent cell?


When does it happen?
It happens during the S-phase (synthesis)
of the interphase part of the cell cycle.

True or false:
DNA
replication
happens way
before mitosis.

True! It
happens
during
interphase.
What is produced?
At the end of DNA replication,
the parent cell will have two full
sets of their DNA (2 copies).

Which means that after


mitosis, each new daughter
cell will have the full set of
DNA they need to survive.
What could happen if a
daughter cell did not get a
full set of DNA?
How does this happen?
Start with the original strand of DNA called
the template strand

original
template
strand
Step 1: Enzyme (helicase) initiates (starts)
replication by unzipping the DNA strand

enzyme
unwinding
the strand
Step 2: Another enzyme (DNA polymerase)
attaches free nucleotides to the exposed strands

Adding nucleotides
to the sides of the
template strand
Step 3: Proofreading Mistake causes a bulge
As it moves down the
strand, the enzyme
DNA polymerase not DNA poly. finds & piece is cut out
only adds
nucleotides but also
1) Checks for errors
DNA poly. repairs with correct base
2) Then fixes them

Why is it important
DNA poly. continues down strand
to fix errors?
Step 4: Enzymes twist the new strands (creating the
double helix)
End with two identical copies of the original DNA
strand
- called semiconservative because each strand
consists of one old strand (template) and one new
strand (complementary)
Why is DNA replication called
semiconservative? Old strands

New strands
Steps of DNA
Replication

Start with the original DNA template strand


1. Enzyme (helicase) unzips the DNA strand
2. Enzyme (DNA polymerase) attaches new
nucleotides according to base pairing rules
3. DNA polymerase checks for errors and fixes
them.
End up with two identical daughter DNA strands
that enzymes retwist. Semiconservative!

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