Meselson and Stahl in 1957 gave experimental evidence that each DNA strand served as a template for new DNA synthesis, a process called semi-conservative replication. At that time, there were three proposed models for DNA replication put forward by the scientific community after DNA structure had been discovered- Semi-conservative, conservative and dispersive replication. Semi-conservative replication: In this model, the two strands of DNA unwind from each other, and each acts as a template for synthesis of a new, complementary strand. This results in two DNA molecules with one original strand and one new strand. Conservative replication. In this model, DNA replication results in one molecule that consists of both original DNA strands and another molecule that consists of two new strands with exactly the same sequences as the original molecule. Meselson and Stahl used the density gradient sedimentation experiment (done with the E.Coli bacteria) to establish that DNA replicates using the semi-conservative model of replication as follows: Results of analysis: Solution Meselson and Stahl in 1957 gave experimental evidence that each DNA strand served as a template for new DNA synthesis, a process called semi-conservative replication. At that time, there were three proposed models for DNA replication put forward by the scientific community after DNA structure had been discovered- Semi-conservative, conservative and dispersive replication. Semi-conservative replication: In this model, the two strands of DNA unwind from each other, and each acts as a template for synthesis of a new, complementary strand. This results in two DNA molecules with one original strand and one new strand. Conservative replication. In this model, DNA replication results in one molecule that consists of both original DNA strands and another molecule that consists of two new strands with exactly the same sequences as the original molecule. Meselson and Stahl used the density gradient sedimentation experiment (done with the E.Coli bacteria) to establish that DNA replicates using the semi-conservative model of replication as follows: Results of analysis:.