Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ______

DNA Replication Questions

 Pyrimidines are single-ring nitrogenous bases (cytosine, thymine, and uracil).

 Purines are double-ring nitrogenous bases (adenine and guanine).

 The chemical structures of Thymine and Cytosine are smaller, while those of Adenine and Guanine
are larger. Size and structure of the specific nucleotides cause Adenine and Thymine to always pair
together while Cytosine and Guanine always pair together.

2. Name the five nitrogenous bases, and indicate if each is a purine or pyrimidine, and whether it is
found in DNA, RNA, or both.

Nitrogenous Base Purine or Pyrimidine Found in DNA, RNA, or Both (D/R/B)

Adenine (A) Purine Both (B)

Guanine (G) Purine Both (B)

Cytosine (C) Pyrimidine Both (B)

Thymine (T) Pyrimidine DNA only (D)

Uracil (U) Pyrimidine RNA only (R)

3. Explain what is meant by the 5’ and 3’ ends of the nucleotide.

 The 5’ (5-prime) end of a nucleotide contains a phosphate group.

 The 3’ (3-prime) end has a hydroxyl (-OH) group on the sugar.

 DNA strands run antiparallel, meaning one strand runs 5’ → 3’, while the other runs 3’ → 5’.

4. When does DNA replication occur in a cell? How much of the DNA is replicated?

 DNA replication occurs during the S (synthesis) phase of the cell cycle.

 All of the DNA is replicated to ensure each daughter cell receives a complete copy.
5. What is the semiconservative model of DNA replication?

 In the semiconservative model, each new DNA molecule consists of one original (parental) strand
and one newly synthesized strand.

 Meselson and Stahl’s experiment confirmed this by growing bacteria in heavy nitrogen (N-15) and
transferring them to light nitrogen (N-14). The results showed hybrid DNA after one replication
cycle, supporting the semiconservative mechanism.

6. How is the lagging strand of DNA replicated differently than the leading strand?

 The leading strand is synthesized continuously in the 5’ → 3’ direction.

 The lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously in short segments called Okazaki fragments,
which are later joined by DNA ligase.

7. Color the attached diagram of leading and lagging strand synthesis according to the following
instructions
 Color the parental DNA in a dark color and the newly synthesized DNA a lighter version of the same
color.
 Fill in the Where?, What?, and When? boxes.
 Fill in the box indicating what SSBP stands for
 Fill in the boxes in the replication bubble showing the leading and lagging strands on each side. The
bottom part of the replication bubble should also have a primer labeled.
 On the large diagram, label the 5’ and 3’ ends of each strand in the remaining blank boxes.

7. Color the attached diagram of leading and lagging strand synthesis. [The diagram is not shown here.]

 Parental DNA: Dark color

 Newly synthesized DNA: Lighter version of the same color

 Fill in the missing labels:

o Where? Nucleus

o What? DNA replication

o When? S-phase of interphase

o SSBP stands for Single-Strand Binding Proteins

 New DNA strands are synthesized in the 5’ → 3’ direction.

9. Which enzyme…?

Function Enzyme

Untwists and separates DNA strands Helicase

Holds DNA strands apart Single-Strand Binding Proteins (SSBP)

Synthesizes RNA primer Primase

Adds DNA nucleotides to new strand DNA Polymerase III

Joins DNA fragments together DNA Ligase

Relieves strain caused by unwinding Topoisomerase

10. Using the information from the previous questions, make a detailed list of the steps that occur in the
synthesis of a new DNA molecule.

1. Helicase unwinds the DNA double helix.

2. SSBP (Single-Strand Binding Proteins) stabilize the unwound DNA.

3. Topoisomerase relieves tension ahead of the replication fork.

4. Primase synthesizes an RNA primer on both strands.

5. DNA Polymerase III adds nucleotides to the 3’ end of the primer in the 5’ → 3’ direction.

6. Leading strand is synthesized continuously.

7. Lagging strand is synthesized in Okazaki fragments.

8. DNA Polymerase I replaces RNA primers with DNA.

9. DNA Ligase joins Okazaki fragments.

10. The process continues until the entire DNA is replicated.

11. What is a thymine dimer? How might it occur, and how is it repaired?
  A thymine dimer is a mutation where two adjacent thymine bases bond together instead of with
their complementary adenines.

 It occurs due to UV radiation exposure.

 It is repaired by the nucleotide excision repair (NER) system, which removes the dimer and replaces
the damaged DNA.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a universal and versatile DNA repair pathway, capable of
removing a very wide range of lesions, including UV-induced pyrimidine dimers and bulky adducts.

12. Why are cancer cells immortal while most body cells have a limited life span?

 Normal body cells have a limited lifespan due to telomere shortening after each division.

 Cancer cells express the enzyme telomerase, which prevents telomere shortening, allowing them to
divide indefinitely and become immortal.

Since first discovered in Tetrahymena thermophila in 1985, telomerase activity was found to be absent in
most normal human somatic cells but present in over 90% of cancerous cells and in vitro-immortalized
cells.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC120798/