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STRAND SEPARATION [1 record]

Record 1 2013-11-15

English

Subject field(s)
  • Genetics
CONT

In order to prove the strand separation hypothesis, methods had to be found for the physical separation of parental and daughter DNA molecules. This was first accomplished through use of heavy isotopes such as N15. Bacteria grown in a medium containing the heavy isotope N15 have denser DNA than bacteria grown under normal conditions with N14. Heavy DNA can be separated from light DNA by equilibrium centrifugation in concentrated solutions of heavy salts such as cesium chloride. If DNA replication involves strand separation, definite predictions can be made about the density of the DNA molecules found after various growth intervals in a light medium. After one generation of growth, all the DNA molecules should contain one heavy and one light strand and thus be of intermediate hybrid density. This result is exactly what is observed. Likewise, after two generations of growth, half the DNA molecules are light and half hybrid, just as strand separation predicts.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Génétique
CONT

Historiquement, trois mécanismes possibles de réplication du DNA ont été proposés : 1) la réplication conservative de DNA. Chacun des brins du DNA parental est répliqué, sans séparation des brins, en donnant du DNA d'origine et du DNA néoformé. 2) la réplication semi-conservatrice du DNA lourd. A la première génération, chaque double hélice contient un des brins d'origine parentale. 3) la réplication dispersive. Pendant la réplication, les chaînes parentales se fragmentent de place en place, et les segments néoformés se recombinent, dans le même brin, avec des segments d'origine parentale. Des expériences ingénieuses, imaginées et réalisées par Meselson et Stahl en 1957-1958, ont montré sans équivoque que, dans les cellules vivantes intactes d'E. coli, le DNA se réplique par le mécanisme semi-conservatif posé en postulat par Watson et Crick.

Spanish

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