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DNA Replication
The process by which DNA makes a copy of itself during cell division.
Base-pairing
The specific pairing of nitrogenous bases in DNA, where adenine pairs with thymine, and guanine pairs with cytosine.
DNA polymerase
An enzyme that synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a pre-existing strand.
Lagging strand synthesis
The discontinuous synthesis of DNA on the lagging strand, utilizing Okazaki fragments.
Okazaki fragments
Short segments of DNA synthesized on the lagging strand during DNA replication.
Helicase
An enzyme that unwinds and separates the DNA strands during replication.
Topoisomerase
An enzyme that relieves the tension in supercoiled DNA ahead of the replication fork.
RNase H
An enzyme that removes RNA primers during DNA replication.
Telomerase
An enzyme that adds repetitive nucleotide sequences to the ends of chromosomes (telomeres) to protect them from deterioration.
Semi-conservative replication
The process of DNA replication in which each new DNA molecule consists of one old and one new strand.
Primase
An enzyme that synthesizes a short RNA primer to initiate DNA synthesis on the lagging strand.
Leading strand
The DNA strand that is synthesized continuously in the 5' to 3' direction during replication.
Replicosome
The complex of proteins and enzymes responsible for DNA replication at the replication fork.
Clamp loader
Protein complex that helps load the sliding clamp onto DNA to stabilize DNA polymerase.
Single-strand binding proteins (SSB)
Proteins that bind to and protect single-stranded DNA during replication.
Polymerase I
DNA polymerase responsible for removing RNA primers and filling in gaps with DNA.
DNA ligase
An enzyme that joins Okazaki fragments together by forming phosphodiester bonds.
3’ to 5’ direction
The direction in which DNA polymerases read the template strand during synthesis.
5’ to 3’ direction
The direction in which new DNA strands are synthesized.
Replication fork
The Y-shaped region where the DNA double helix is unwound and separated for replication.
RNA primer
Short strand of RNA that provides a starting point for DNA synthesis.
Eukaryotic replication origin
The specific site on a eukaryotic chromosome where DNA replication initiates.
Bacterial replication origin
The single site on bacterial DNA where replication begins.
Gyrase
A type of topoisomerase that alleviates the torsional strain ahead of the replication fork.
NTPs
Nucleoside triphosphates used by primase to synthesize RNA primers.
dNTPs
Deoxynucleoside triphosphates used by DNA polymerase to synthesize DNA.
Proofreading capacity
The ability of DNA polymerase to detect and correct errors in newly synthesized DNA.
Telomere
The repetitive end of a linear chromosome that protects it from degradation.
Dispersive replication model
A proposed mechanism of DNA replication where the new and old DNA are mixed together in each strand.
Conservative replication model
A proposed mechanism of DNA replication where the original DNA molecule remains intact and a completely new molecule is synthesized.
Components of the replication machine
Helicase, polymerase, clamp loader, primase, ligase, and others involved in the replication process.
Replication timing
The regulation of when and how often replication occurs for each segment of DNA.
Energy of ATP hydrolysis
The energy released when ATP is broken down to ADP, used to power various enzymatic processes during replication.
Centrifugation
A process used to separate DNA based on density or size, as demonstrated in Meselson and Stahl's experiment.
Meselson and Stahl experiment
An experiment that provided evidence for the semi-conservative model of DNA replication.
S-phase
The phase of the cell cycle in which DNA replication occurs.
Newly synthesized strand
The DNA strand that is formed by the addition of nucleotides to the template strand during replication.
Parental strand
The original DNA strand serving as a template for the newly synthesized strand.
Experiment interpretation
The analysis of results obtained from experiments to understand the underlying biological processes.
DNA synthesis initiation
The beginning of DNA replication, which requires the binding of proteins at the replication origins.
Covalent bond
A strong chemical bond formed between atoms by sharing electrons, critical in joining nucleotides.
