DNA REPLICATION

PRESENTED BY: TORREDA, KENNIE JOY P.

WHAT IS
DNA?
DNA (DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID) CODE OF LIFE
-Is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the
development and function of living things
-DNA holds the key to heredity

-DNA is a nucleic acid, which means it is

composed of thousands of subunits called
nucleotides.
-Each nucleotide in the DNA consists of:
• A phosphate group
• Deoxyribose (5-carbon group)
• A nitrogenous base
NUCLEOTIDE
DISCOVERY OF DNA

• In 1953, Dr. James Watson and Dr. Francis Crick

developed a model of the DNA molecule that
showed that the DNA is a “double helix” or a twisted
ladder
 DNA REPLICATION
• Replication is the process by which a double-stranded DNA
molecule is copied to produce two identical DNA molecules.
• DNA replication is one of the most basic processes that
occurs within a cell. Each time a cell divides, the two resulting
daughter cells must contain exactly the same genetic
information, or DNA, as the parent cell.
• To accomplish this, each strand of existing DNA acts as a
template for replication.
• The DNA is described as SEMI-CONSERVATIVE
 PROCESS OF DNA REPLICATION
Replication occurs in three major steps: The opening of the
double helix and separation of the DNA strands, the priming of
the template strand, and the assembly of the new DNA
segment. During separation, the two strands of the DNA
double helix uncoil at a specific location called the origin.
Several enzymes and proteins then work together to prepare,
or prime, the strands for duplication. Finally, a special enzyme
called DNA polymerase organizes the assembly of the new
DNA strands. The following description of this three-stage
process applies generally to all cells, but specific variations
within the process may occur depending on organism and
cell type.
ENZYMES DURING THE DNA REPLICATION
• DNA replication would not occur without enzymes that catalyze various steps in the
process. Enzymes that participate in the eukaryotic DNA replication process include:
• • DNA helicase - unwinds and separates double stranded DNA as it moves along
the DNA. It forms the replication fork by breaking hydrogen bonds between
nucleotide pairs in DNA.
• • DNA primase - a type of RNA polymerase that generates RNA primers. Primers
are short RNA molecules that act as templates for the starting point of DNA replication.
• • DNA polymerases - synthesize new DNA molecules by adding nucleotides to
leading and lagging DNA strands.
• • Topoisomerase or DNA Gyrase - unwinds and rewinds DNA strands to prevent the
DNA from becoming tangled or supercoiled.
• • Exonucleases - group of enzymes that remove nucleotide bases from the end of
a DNA chain.
• • DNA ligase - joins DNA fragments together by forming phosphodiester bonds
between nucleotides.
1. Helicase (yellow) unwinds the double helix.
the initiation of DNA replication occurs in two steps. first, a so-called initiator protein
unwinds a short stretch of the DNA double helix. then, a protein known as helicase
attaches to and breaks apart the hydrogen bonds between the bases on the DNA
strands, thereby pulling apart the two strands. as the helicase moves along the DNA
molecule, it continues breaking these hydrogen bonds and separating the two
polynucleotide chains
2. While helicase and the initiator protein (not shown) separate the two polynucleotide
chains, primase (red) assembles a primer. this primer permits the next step in the replication
process. Meanwhile, as the helicase separates the strands, another enzyme called primase
briefly attaches to each strand and assembles a foundation at which replication can
begin. This foundation is a short stretch of nucleotides called a primer
3. Beginning at the primer sequence, DNA polymerase (shown in blue) attaches to the
original DNA strand and begins assembling a new, complementary strand.
after the primer is in place on a single, unwound polynucleotide strand, DNA polymerase
wraps itself around that strand, and it attaches new nucleotides to the exposed
nitrogenous bases. in this way, the polymerase assembles a new DNA strand on top of
the existing one
4. Each nucleotide has an affinity for its partner. a pairs with t, and c pairs with g.
figure detail
as DNA polymerase makes its way down the unwound DNA strand, it relies upon the pool
of free-floating nucleotides surrounding the existing strand to build the new strand. the
nucleotides that make up the new strand are paired with partner nucleotides in the
template strand; because of their molecular structures, A and T nucleotides always pair
with one another, and C and G nucleotides always pair with one another. this
phenomenon is known as complementary base pairing, and it results in the production of
two complementary strands of DNA.
5. A new DNA strand is synthesized. This strand contains nucleotides that are
complementary to those in the template sequence.
Base pairing ensures that the sequence of nucleotides in the existing template strand is
exactly matched to a complementary sequence in the new strand, also known as the anti-
sequence of the template strand. Later, when the new strand is itself copied, its
complementary strand will contain the same sequence as the original template strand.
Thus, as a result of complementary base pairing, the replication process proceeds as a
series of sequence and anti-sequence copying that preserves the coding of the original
DNA.