Concept explainers
Interpretation:
The reason that the use of DNA labeled with heavy isotopes has been instrumental in the understanding of replication.
Concept introduction:
Replication is a biological phenomenon by which DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) duplicates. The process of replication uses template DNA, which directs the sequence of nitrogen bases. The process is catalyzed by the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase enzyme.
Heavy isotopes are very often used to study various phenomena and mechanisms. The replication process is also understood by using DNA labeled with heavy isotopes.
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BIOCHEMISTRY (LOOSELEAF) >CUSTOM PKG<
- REFLECT AND APPLY (a) Eukaryotic DNA replication is more complex than prokaryotic replication. Give one reason why this should be so. (b) Why might eukaryotic cells need more kinds of DNA polymerases than bacteria?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY Suggest a reason why it would be unlikely for replication to take place without unwinding the DNA helix.arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY In the MeselsonStahl experiment that established the semiconservative nature of DNA replication, the extraction method produced short fragments of DNA. What sort of results might have been obtained with longer pieces of DNA?arrow_forward
- REFLECT AND APPLY What difficulties arise in the polymerase chain reaction if there is contamination of the DNA that is to be copied?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY Give the DNA sequence for the template strand that gives rise to the following sequence gel, prepared using the Sanger method with a radioactive label at the 5' end of the primer.arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY What is the complete base composition of a double-stranded eukaryotic DNA that contains 22% guanine?arrow_forward
- REFLECT AND APPLY List three mechanisms that relax the twisting stress in helical DNA molecules.arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY Why is it more important for DNA to be replicated accurately than transcribed accurately?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY Why was it necessary to specify that the DNA in Question 33 is double-stranded?arrow_forward
- REFLECT AND APPLY (a) Is it biologically advantageous that DNA is stable? Why or why not? (b) Is it biologically advantageous that RNA is unstable? Why or why not?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY Suppose that you are a prosecuting attorney. How has the introduction of the polymerase chain reaction changed your job?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY E. coli incorporates deoxyribonucleotides into DNA at a rate of 250 to 1000 bases per second. Using the higher value, translate this into typing speed in words per minute. (Assume five characters per word, using the typing analogy from Question 36.)arrow_forward
- BiochemistryBiochemistryISBN:9781305961135Author:Mary K. Campbell, Shawn O. Farrell, Owen M. McDougalPublisher:Cengage Learning