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8: DNA Replication

  • Page ID
    42506
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    Jump to Chapter Contents ↓

    Chapter 8 BIOL 235 Learning Outcomes

    • Describe the structure of DNA, including antiparallel strands, nucleotide structure (arrangement of three components), base-pair rule, bonding and composition of “backbone”, and bonding between bases in “rungs”.
    • Sketch the structure of a DNA nucleotide, labeling the phosphate, deoxyribose, and nitrogenous base (don't need detailed structure); indicate what functional group is bound  to the 3' and 5' carbons of the deoxyribose
    • Given a diagram of a DNA molecule, identify: phosphate, deoxyribose, purine, pyrimidine, hydrogen bonds, phosphodiester bond, 5' end, 3' end
    • Describe the structure of bacterial chromosomes and plasmids and the kind of information they carry.
    • Explain the purpose of DNA replication in a cell
    • Explain the process of DNA  replication, including the roles of the enzymes primase, helicase, DNA polymerase, and ligase, the direction of replication, and the meaning of  semi-conservative replication.
    • Given a diagram of replicating DNA, determine the sequence of the newly synthesized strand(s) and which strand is the leading strand and which is the lagging strand.
    • Explain why both strands of the DNA molecule can’t be synthesized continuously and define Okazaki  fragments.

    • 8.1: The Structure and Function of Cellular Genomes
      This page covers the organization and expression of genetic material, detailing the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic chromosome structures, the significance of supercoiling, and extrachromosomal DNA. It discusses the virulence of Bacillus anthracis, the implications of genome size on pathogenicity, and includes critical thinking questions about noncoding DNA and newly discovered genomes.
    • 8.2: Structure and Function of DNA
      This page explains the structure and function of DNA, detailing the composition of deoxyribonucleotides and the double helix formation by antiparallel strands that feature specific base pairings. It discusses DNA denaturation and its importance in biotechnology and highlights the historical contributions of female scientists.
    • 8.3: DNA Replication
      This page explains DNA replication as a semiconservative process where each original strand serves as a template for a new strand, confirmed by the Meselson-Stahl experiment. In prokaryotes like E. coli, replication begins at an origin and involves key enzymes including DNA polymerase III, helicase, and ligase, resulting in leading and lagging strands.

    Thumbnail: adapted from "File:Bidirectional DNA replication in Bacteria.png" by Bootan68 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0


    This page titled 8: DNA Replication is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jeanne Kagle.