Starter

What are the components of DNA?

What process of cell division produces gametes? How many chromosomes does a normal human skin

cell have?
What does DNA give the instructions to make?

Starter
What are the components of DNA?

- Deoxyribose sugar, phosphate, organic base What process of cell division produces gametes? -Meiosis
How many chromosomes does a normal human skin

cell have? - 46 (23 pairs)

What does DNA give the instructions to make?

-Amino acids

Objectives: 1. To describe the process of DNA replication. 2. To explain how a new polynucleotide is formed. 3. To explain why and interpret evidence to suggest that this is semi-conservative replication.

What is replication?
DNA must be replicated (copied) before a nucleus

divides to form new cells. The process must be very precise as daughter cells must contain the same DNA as the parent cell. DNA replication occurs through the semiconservative method.

Requirements for semiconservative replication:

Four types nucleotides of

nucleotides must be present Both strands of DNA act as a template DNA Polymerase is needed to catalyse the reaction A source of chemical energy is needed to drive the process. WATCH

ATP

DNA replication

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Semi-conservative method
1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds linking the base pairs of DNA. The double helix separates into two strands and unwinds. Each exposed polynucleotide strand then acts as a template to which complimentary nucleotides are attracted. Energy is used to activate the nucleotides. The activated nucleotides are joined to their complimentary base by DNA polymerase forming two new strands of DNA.

Mechanisms of DNA replication

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Enzymes
DNA helicase

Why semi-conservative?
Each new DNA molecule

contains one of the original DNA strands.

Half (semi) of the

original strand has been saved (conserved) in the new DNA strand.

Evidence
Meselsohn and Stahl tested the hypothesis for semi-

conservative replication. They based their work on three facts:

All the bases in DNA contain nitrogen Nitrogen has two forms: the lighter 14N and the isotope

which is heavier Bacteria will incorporate nitrogen from their growing medium into any new DNA that they make.

15N,

Old DNA is labelled 15N and new DNA is labelled

14N.

MeselsonStahl DNA experiment

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DNA replication enzymes

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DNA replication

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Alternative hypothesis
Conservative replication: Parental DNA remains intact and a seperate new daughter copy was built up from new components Of the two molecules present, one would be made of entirely new material and the other made of entirely the original material

Activity
Look at the HSW page 166 and 167 Evidence for Semi-

Conservative Replication and answer the questions.

Answers
1. Which part of the DNA contains N The bases 2. The original strand has split and bases containing 14N have been added to the original, 15N, strand. Two molecules of DNA are formed, one half of each strand has 15N and the other half of each strand has 14N. 3.

Answers
4.

Answers
5. 75%