Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
What occurs during DNA replication?
A
The DNA double helix unwinds and each strand serves as a template for a new strand.
B
Proteins are synthesized from mRNA templates.
C
DNA is transcribed into RNA.
D
RNA is synthesized from a DNA template.
Verified step by step guidance
1
DNA replication begins with the unwinding of the double helix structure. This is facilitated by enzymes such as helicase, which break the hydrogen bonds between the two strands of DNA.
Once the strands are separated, each serves as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. This process is known as semi-conservative replication because each new DNA molecule consists of one old strand and one new strand.
DNA polymerase is the enzyme responsible for adding nucleotides to the growing DNA strand. It reads the template strand and adds complementary nucleotides (A pairs with T, and C pairs with G) to form the new strand.
The leading strand is synthesized continuously in the direction of the replication fork, while the lagging strand is synthesized in short segments called Okazaki fragments, which are later joined together by the enzyme DNA ligase.
Replication is completed when the entire DNA molecule has been copied, resulting in two identical DNA molecules, each with one old strand and one new strand.