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how could the DNA structure and the base-pairing rule explain replication

2007-03-05 09:25:30 · 4 answers · asked by *Star* 1 in Science & Mathematics Biology

4 answers

There are a few features of DNA that make it a pretty ideal molecule for storing information and copying it.

For one thing, the two strands of a DNA molecule are really only weakly held together. It takes relatively little energy to get them to separate. Yet because it's so long and it is more stable if everything matches up, even if you pull the strands apart they will tend to connect exactly back up again. So that's one important feature right there - it's easy to get inside where the bases are, and it's easy to put things back the way they were again.

Another thing that makes DNA special is the base-pairing. Because of the structure of the bases, each one only attracts one partner securely. This means that if you have just one strande of DNA and a bunch of free bases, the free ones will all stick to the strand in exactly the same order every time. All you have to do then is bond all those free bases into a strand and you've made a whole new strand of DNA!

And this is basically what a cell does when it copies DNA. It separates the strands, provides free bases to stick to spots on each of the separated strands, and then sticks those free bases together. Where once there was two strands, now you have two! Because a DNA strand is so long, it doesn't do it to the whole strand at once... instead it more resembles a zipper - it's unzipped at one point and two new zippers are built out of the halves as they are being separated.

Hope that helps!

2007-03-05 10:37:58 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 0 0

DNA replication begins with the "unzipping" of the parent molecule as the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs are broken.
Once exposed, the sequence of bases on each of the separated strands serves as a template to guide the insertion of a complementary set of bases on the strand being synthesized.
The new strands are assembled from deoxynucleoside triphosphates.
Each incoming nucleotide is covalently linked to the "free" 3' carbon atom on the pentose (figure) as
the second and third phosphates are removed together as a molecule of pyrophosphate (PPi).
The nucleotides are assembled in the order that complements the order of bases on the strand serving as the template.
Thus each C on the template guides the insertion of a G on the new strand, each G a C, and so on.
When the process is complete, two DNA molecules have been formed identical to each other and to the parent molecule.

2007-03-05 09:38:07 · answer #2 · answered by Diamond in the Rough 6 · 0 0

Now this question is really basic and self- evident. Since every base has a pair. So one side can be used as a template to create the other side.

2007-03-05 09:40:20 · answer #3 · answered by misoma5 7 · 0 0

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2016-12-05 07:05:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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