The first steps of
DNA Replication takes place is the
breaking of hydrogen bonds between bases of the two strands. The unwinding of
the two strands is the starting point.
Splitting happens in the chains that have plentiful
Adenine and Thymine. That is because there are only two bonds between Adenine
and Thymine (there are three hydrogen bonds between Cytosine and Guanine).
Helicase is the enzyme that splits the two strands. This is the origin of
the replication which creates a fork shape.
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One of the most important
steps of DNA Replication is
the binding of RNA Primase in the the initiation point of the 3'-5'
parent chain. RNA primase is enzyme, a short RNA segment. RNA is very similar to
DNA, though it is one stranded unlike DNA which is double stranded.
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The elongation process allows a single strand of DNA to
be used as a template for RNA synthesis.
As the 2 parts of the DNA split the lagging strand the RNA
Primase adds more RNA Primers. The two parts of the DNA split are the leading
strand and lagging strand.
In the lagging strand reads the fragments and removes the RNA
enzymes. The gaps are closed with the action of DNA Polymerase which are also
enzymes, then it adds phosphate in the remaining gaps of the phosphate - sugar
backbone).
Each new DNA strand is made up of one old and one new chain
called semiconservative replication.
The final step is the
Termination. This process happens
when the DNA Polymerase (enzymes) reaches to an end of both strands. The
end of the parental strand where the last enzymes binds aren't replicated. These
ends of chromosomal DNA consists of noncoding DNA.
The DNA Replication is not completed before a
mechanism of repair
fixes possible errors caused during the replication. Enzymes like
nucleases
remove the wrong nucleotides and the DNA Polymerase (enzymes) fills the gaps.
There are three major DNA repairing mechanisms:
base excision
(UV light,
and chemical reaction), nucleotide excision
(removes the damage),
and mismatch repair
(combines methyl all adenines). |



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Steps
of DNA Replication - back to Why is DNA so important ?