10 Things to Know About Replication

1) Protein Helicase unwinds the double helix by breaking down the hydrogen bonds between the template and coding strand.


2) Single Stranded Binding Protein stabilizes the single stranded DNA.


3) Gyrase releases the tension and pressure on the DNA as it unwinds.


4) At the same time a replication fork, a section on the DNA where the two strands are still joined, is created. When two forks are close enough to each other a bubble, known as the replication bubble, is formed.


5) Leading strand (5' to 3') and lagging strand (3' to 5') are formed. Okazaki fragments appear on the lagging strand.


6) RNA Primase signals the Polymerase III by producing Primers which are also RNA.


7) DNA Polymerase III recognizes Primers and elongate the new DNA from 5' to 3'.


8) DNA Polymerase I replaces the Primers with DNA and proof read the new DNA.


9) Ligase fill in the gaps in the DNA.


10) A new and identical DNA is formed.