DNA replication

cosmos 4th November 2016 at 2:43pm

Replication of DNA is a step in Mitosis

  1. Helicase unzips DNA, and forms a replication fork. There are also Topoisomerases releasing built up stresses in DNA
  2. Primase makes a small piece of RNA called a primer, which is between 7 and 10 Nucleobases, and often being in an A-rich section
  3. DNA polymerase enzimes binds to the primer and will make the new strand of DNA. The leading strand is replicated continuously, while the lagging strand is replicated in steps, forming Okazaki fragments. DNA polymerase α\alpha, and then DNA polymerase β\beta. Polymerase works only in one direction, in the 3' -> 5' direction, only bonding 5' to 3'
  4. Exonuclease removes all the RNA primers from both strands of DNA
  5. DNA polymerase enzymes then fill the gaps left behind in DNA.
  6. DNA ligase seals up the fragments of DNA

Animation below is missing the steps 4 and 5:

Inhibition of DNA replication

Interfere with enzymes, etc