Understand steps of replication

Okazaki fragments are only produced, and subsequently joined together, in the lagging strand to allow for replication in the opposite direction as replication fork movement. The leading strand, however, allows for continual replication.

All other choices reflect aspects of DNA replication for both the leading and lagging strands.

DNA polymerase III is the enzyme that attaches to the RNA primer and adds DNA nucleotides complementary to the template strand in order to create the new, growing strand.

Primase is responsible for synthesizing the RNA primer. Helicase unwinds the DNA and creates the replication fork for other enzymes to bind. Ligase repairs breaks in the sugar-phosphate backbone and binds Okazaki fragments together. DNA polymerase I has a number of functions, including replacing the RNA primer with DNA nucleotides.

The correct answer must complementary base pair with the fragment in the 3’ to 5’ direction because the strands run anti-parallel to each other. Only three of the given options that will run anti-parallel, but only one complements the DNA properly.

The lagging strand is the strand of parent DNA that runs in the opposite direction that the replication fork opens. Because DNA polymerase adds nucleotides in direction, RNA primers are added along the length of the newly single parent DNA strand to provide a hydroxyl group onto which DNA polymerase adds nucleotides. DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the RNA primer until encountering another primer. These segments of newly synthesized DNA are called Okazaki fragments. DNA polymerase I removes RNA primers and replaces them with DNA. Ligase seals the gaps between DNA, forming a continuous strand.

In the initiation stage of DNA replication, a number of enzymes are involved. These include the initiator proteins in the pre-replication complex, DNA helicase, single stranded binding proteins, and topoisomerase. Topoisomerase is an enzyme that helps relieve winding and unwinding tension in DNA that arise from the helical structure of the DNA molecule. The DNA ahead of the replication fork often becomes tangled and/or supercoiled. Topoisomerase cuts the DNA to relieve the stress and allow the DNA to relax by unwinding a few times.Later during the replication process, the DNA rewinds and these breaks are resealed.

The origin of replication is the sequence of DNA where replication is initiated. The origin of replication often has a high content of adenine and thymine nucleotides because they are only bound together by two hydrogen bonds, making the helix easier to open and unwind. There are multiple origins of replication on each chromosome in eukaryotes, while there is only one origin of replication in prokaryotes. The origin of replication binds to initiator proteins that make up the pre-replication complex, which initiates replication.

This is really just a math equation. We need to double the amount of DNA each time it goes through a replication cycle.

Begin: 4

Cycle 1: 8

Cycle 2: 16

Cycle 3: 32

Cycle 4: 64

Cycle 5: 128

Cycle 6: 256

Cycle 7: 512

Cycle 8: 1024

Cycle 9: 2048

Cycle 10: 4096

After ten cycles, we would have 4096 copies from our original 4.

A shortcut calculation would be .

This is why PCR amplification is so effective.

An adenine-thymine sequence would be more likely to be found near the replication origin. Adenine and thymine pair with two hydrogen bonds, while cytosine and guanine pair with three hydrogen bonds. This makes adenine and thymine regions easier to break apart. Since helicase must break the hydrogen bonds in order to create the replication fork at the replication origin, it makes sense that this event would occur in a region where there were weaker forces between the two DNA strands.

Remember, guanine always pairs with cytosine and adenine always pairs with thymine.

Primase is an enzyme that is essential for the process of DNA replication. It synthesizes RNA primers so that DNA polymerase may begin replicating DNA. Mutation to the gene that codes for primase would damage the protein. Without primase, a cell would not be able to go through the process of replication because DNA polymerase would not properly bind the DNA.

RNA polymerase is responsible for transcribing DNA and helicase is responsible for unwinding the DNA double stranded helix.

The correct answer is Helicase because it is involved with the separation of the two strands of DNA by breaking the hydrogen bonds between them. Primase lays down the RNA primer so that the polymerase enzymes can attach and start adding complementary base pairs. SSBs are single stranded binding proteins which anchor the separated strands and keep them from annealing to each other.