This document discusses DNA replication. It begins by defining DNA replication as the process of producing two identical copies of DNA from one original DNA molecule. It then describes some of the key biological significance of DNA replication, such as maintaining genomic integrity between generations. The document goes on to explain the basic rules and mechanisms of DNA replication, including semi-conservative replication, replication forks, and the roles of various replication proteins like DNA polymerase, helicase, and ligase. It also discusses the initiation, elongation, and termination stages of replication.

1. ARCHANA SONI,
Assistant Professor, SSMV, BHILAI
archi22ss@gmail.com

2. DNA REPLICATION
DNA REPLICATION IS THE BIOLOGICAL PROCESS OF
PRODUCING TWO IDENTICAL REPLICAS OF DNA FROM
ONE ORIGINAL DNA MOLECULE.
BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
• EXTREME ACCURACY OF DNA REPLICATION IS
NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY
OF THE GENOME IN SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS
• IN EUKARYOTES , REPLICATION ONLY OCCURS DURING
THE S PHASE OF THE CELL CYCLE.
• REPLICATION RATE IN EUKARYOTES IS SLOWER
RESULTING IN A HIGHER FIDELITY/ACCURACY OF
REPLICATION IN EUKARYOTES

3. DNA REPLICATION
3 POSSIBLE MODELS

4. BASIC RULES OF REPLICATION
a. SEMI-
CONSERVATIVE
b. STARTS AT THE
‘ORIGIN’
c. SYNTHESIS
ALWAYS IN THE 5-3’
DIRECTION
d. CAN BE UNI OR
BIDIRECTIONAL
e. SEMI-
DISCONTINUOUS
f. RNA PRIMERS
REQUIRED

5. THE MECHANISM OF DNA
REPLICATION
ARTHUR KORNBERG, A NOBEL PRIZE WINNER AND OTHER
BIOCHEMISTS DEDUCED STEPS OF REPLICATION
• INITIATION
• PROTEINS BIND TO DNA AND OPEN UP DOUBLE HELIX
• PREPARE DNA FOR COMPLEMENTARY BASE PAIRING
• ELONGATION
• PROTEINS CONNECT THE CORRECT SEQUENCES OF NUCLEOTIDES
INTO A CONTINUOUS NEW STRAND OF DNA
• TERMINATION
• PROTEINS RELEASE THE REPLICATION COMPLEX

6. INITIATION
• THIS PROCESS IS
INITIATED AT PARTICULAR
POINTS IN THE DNA,
KNOWN AS "ORIGINS",
WHICH ARE TARGETED
BY INITIATOR PROTEINS.
EX: DNAA IN E.
COLI; ORIGIN
RECOGNITION COMPLEX IN
YEAST
• SEQUENCES USED BY
INITIATOR PROTEINS TEND
TO BE "AT-RICH“

7. ELONGATION
• IN THIS MECHANISM, ONCE THE TWO STRANDS ARE
SEPARATED, PRIMASE ADDS RNA PRIMERS TO THE
TEMPLATE STRANDS.
• THE LEADING STRAND RECEIVES ONE RNA PRIMER WHILE
THE LAGGING STRAND RECEIVES SEVERAL.
• THE LEADING STRAND IS CONTINUOUSLY EXTENDED
FROM THE PRIMER BY A DNA POLYMERASE WITH
HIGH PROCESSIVITY, WHILE THE LAGGING STRAND IS
EXTENDED DISCONTINUOUSLY FROM EACH PRIMER
FORMING OKAZAKI FRAGMENTS.
• RNASE REMOVES THE PRIMER RNA FRAGMENTS, AND A
LOW PROCESSIVITY DNA POLYMERASE DISTINCT FROM
THE REPLICATIVE POLYMERASE ENTERS TO FILL THE
GAPS.

9. ELONGATION
• WHEN THIS IS COMPLETE, A SINGLE NICK ON THE
LEADING STRAND AND SEVERAL NICKS ON THE
LAGGING STRAND CAN BE FOUND.
• LIGASE WORKS TO FILL THESE NICKS IN, THUS
COMPLETING THE NEWLY REPLICATED DNA
MOLECULE.
• AS DNA SYNTHESIS CONTINUES, THE ORIGINAL
DNA STRANDS CONTINUE TO UNWIND ON EACH
SIDE OF THE BUBBLE, FORMING A REPLICATION
FORK WITH TWO PRONGS.
• IN BACTERIA, WHICH HAVE A SINGLE ORIGIN OF

10. REPLICATION FORK
• IT IS CREATED BY HELICASES. THE RESULTING
STRUCTURE HAS TWO BRANCHING "PRONGS", EACH
ONE MADE UP OF A SINGLE STRAND OF DNA. THESE
TWO STRANDS SERVE AS THE TEMPLATE FOR THE
LEADING AND LAGGING STRANDS, WHICH WILL BE
CREATED AS DNA POLYMERASE MATCHES
COMPLEMENTARY NUCLEOTIDES TO THE
TEMPLATES.
a: template, b: leading strand, c: lagging strand, d: replication fork, e: primer, f:Okazaki fragments

11. DNA REPLICATION PROTEINS
Enzyme Function in DNA replication
DNA Helicase
Also known as helix destabilizing enzyme. Unwinds the DNA double
helix at the Replication Fork.
DNA Polymerase
Builds a new duplex DNA strand by adding nucleotides in the 5' to 3'
direction. Also performs proof-reading and error correction.
DNA clamp
A protein which prevents elongating DNA polymerases from dissociating
from the DNA parent strand.
Single-Strand
Binding (SSB)
Proteins
Bind to ssDNA and prevent the DNA double helix from re-annealing
after DNA helicase unwinds it, thus maintaining the strand separation,
and facilitating the synthesis of the nascent strand.
Topoisomerase Relaxes the DNA from its super-coiled nature.
DNA Gyrase
Relieves strain of unwinding by DNA helicase; this is a specific type of
topoisomerase
DNA Ligase
Re-anneals the semi-conservative strands and joins Okazaki
Fragments of the lagging strand.
Primase
Provides a starting point of RNA (or DNA) for DNA polymerase to begin
synthesis of the new DNA strand.
Telomerase
Lengthens telomeric DNA by adding repetitive nucleotide sequences to
the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. This allows germ cells and stem
cells to avoid the Hayflick limit on cell division.

12. ENZYMES IN DNA REPLICATION

13. TERMINATION
• TERMINATION REQUIRES THAT THE PROGRESS OF
THE DNA REPLICATION FORK MUST STOP OR BE
BLOCKED.
• TERMINATION AT A SPECIFIC LOCUS INVOLVES THE
INTERACTION BETWEEN TWO COMPONENTS:
(1) A TERMINATION SITE SEQUENCE IN THE
DNA
(2) A PROTEIN WHICH BINDS TO THIS
SEQUENCE TO PHYSICALLY STOP DNA REPLICATION.
• IN VARIOUS BACTERIAL SPECIES, THIS IS NAMED THE
DNA REPLICATION TERMINUS SITE-BINDING