DNA Replication:

Semi-Conservative, Conservative, & Dispersive models of DNA replication

In the semi-conservative model, the two parental strands separate and each makes a copy of itself.
After one round of replication, the two daughter molecules each comprises one old and one new strand.
Note that after two rounds, two of the DNA molecules consist only of new material, while the other two
contain one old and one new strand.

In the conservative model, the parental molecule directs synthesis of an entirely new double-stranded
molecule, such that after one round of replication, one molecule is conserved as two old strands. This is
repeated in the second round.

In the dispersive model, material in the two parental strands is distributed more or less randomly
between two daughter molecules. In the model shown here, old material is distributed symmetrically
between the two daughters molecules. Other distributions are possible.

The semi-conservative model is the intuitively appealing model, because separation of the two strands
provides two templates, each of which carries all the information of the original molecule. It also turns
out to be the correct one (Meselson & Stahl 1958)
Conservative In this model the two parental DNA strands are back
Model together after replication has occurred. That is, one
daughter molecule contains both parental DNA
strands, and the other daughter molecule contains
DNA strands of all newly-synthesized material.
Semiconservative In this model the two parental DNA strands separate
Model and each of those strands then serves as a template
for the synthesis of a new DNA strand. The result is
two DNA double helices, both of which consist of one
parental and one new strand.
Dispersive In this model the parental double helix is broken into
Model double-stranded DNA segments that, as for the
Conservative Model, act as templates for the synthesis
of new double helix molecules. The segments then
reassemble into complete DNA double helices, each
with parental and progeny DNA segments
interspersed.

Three Different Models for DNA Replication

Watson and Crick had proposed that in order to copy itself, DNA would have to open down the center, sort of like a
zipper coming apart, so that a new DNA strand could be built on top of the exposed strands. Following the rules of
complimentary base pairing, adenine would pair with thymine, and cytosine would pair with guanine. This idea was
called a template model, since one DNA strand serves as the template for a new one.
Watson and Crick figured that this model would result in two new double strands of DNA, each one with one strand
of parent (or template) DNA and one strand of daughter (or newly-synthesized) DNA. They called this the semi-
conservative model, because half of the parent DNA was conserved in each new DNA molecule.

Scientists looked at the double helix of DNA and wondered how in the world it could possibly open itself up without
getting tangled or torn apart. So they thought up some other ideas about how DNA replication works. One
hypothesis, called the dispersive model, suggested that DNA only copied itself for short chunks at a time, producing
new strands that alternated parent and daughter DNA. Another idea, called the conservative model, argued that
DNA didn't split open at all, but somehow kept the parent strands intact while creating an entirely new and separate
copy.