DNA replication
Sign in to savecellular metabolic process in which a cell duplicates one or more molecules of DNA
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DNA replication is the process by which a cell makes copies of its DNA molecules. This matters because it allows cells to pass on genetic information when they divide, ensuring that new cells receive the instructions they need to function.
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DNA replication: The double helix is 'unzipped' and unwound, then each separated strand (turquoise) acts as a template for replicating a new partner strand (green). Nucleotides (bases) are matched to synthesize the new partner strands into two new double helices. DNA replication is the process by which a cell makes exact copies of its DNA. This process occurs in all organisms and is essential to biological inheritance, cell division, and repair of damaged tissues. DNA replication ensures that each of the newly divided daughter cells receives its own copy of each DNA molecule.
DNA most commonly occurs in double-stranded form, made up of two complementary strands held together by base pairing of the nucleotides comprising each strand. The two linear strands of a double-stranded DNA molecule typically twist together in the shape of a double helix. During replication, the two strands are separated, and each strand of the original DNA molecule then serves as a template for the production of a complementary counterpart strand, a process referred to as semiconservative replication. As a result, each replicated DNA molecule is composed of one original DNA strand as well as one newly synthesized strand. Cellular proofreading and error-checking mechanisms ensure near-perfect fidelity for DNA replication.