What is DNA replication?
Answer
DNA replication is the process by which a DNA molecule makes an exact copy of itself, producing two identical DNA molecules from one.
The working
Purpose
Replication copies the genetic material before cell division so that each daughter cell receives an identical set of DNA.
Unwinding
The enzyme helicase unwinds and separates the two strands of the DNA double helix, so each strand acts as a template.
Base pairing
The enzyme DNA polymerase adds new nucleotides to each template following complementary base pairing (A with T, G with C).
Semiconservative nature
Each new DNA molecule has one old (parental) strand and one newly made strand, so replication is called semiconservative, as shown by the Meselson–Stahl experiment.
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