MadSci Network: Molecular Biology
Query:

Re: What're links of double helical structure of DNA for the DNA replcation ?

Date: Wed Jan 24 17:55:36 2001
Posted By: Sabine Heinhorst, Faculty, Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Southern Mississippi
Area of science: Molecular Biology
ID: 978993978.Mb
Message:

As you know, the base sequences of the two strands of a DNA double helix 
are complementary. If you know the sequence of one strand (e.g. 
5'...GAATGGC...3'), you automatically know the sequence of the 
complementary strand (in this case 3'...CTTACCG...3'). The information 
carried by ONE of the two strands is sufficient to synthesize an exact 
copy of the complementary strand.

Another way of saying this is that each DNA strand can serve as template 
for the synthesis of the complementary strand, since both strands carry 
essentially the same (=complementary) information. The result of this 
template-directed DNA replication is the faithful duplication of the 
original molecule into two identical double stranded molecules that can be 
passed on to the daughter cells during cell division. 


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