Answer to Question #31748 in Molecular Biology for tharshika

Question

Template-dependent DNA synthesis takes place during DNA replication.what are the requirements for a DNA strand to act as template?

Answer 1

DNA strands may act as templates only during specialphase of cell cycle called S-phase, so cell should be in that phase of growth. To perform replication itself, a huge number of DNA-binding proteins (SSB-proteins - to prevent DNA double helix from re-annealing etc) and enzymes (helicase - to unwind the DNA double helix, DNA-dependent DNA-polimerase - to build up new strands etc) are reqired,which form a replication fork. DNA itself must contain specific locations called origins of replication. It also must be accessible for DNA-polimerase, be uncondensed (form euchromatin) and not located in the telomere regions of chromosomes. Finally, free nucleotides are reqired as a building material for new strands.