Biology › Section G · Chromosomes and DNA › Topic G.4
Basics of DNA replication
The double helix was more than a pretty structure - its two complementary strands whispered how DNA must copy itself. But three rival models fit the geometry, and it took heavy nitrogen, an ultracentrifuge, and two patient generations of E. coli to prove which one nature actually uses.
In this topic
- The structure suggests the copy
- Three rival models
- The trick: heavy nitrogen
- Spinning DNA into bands
- Generation one: a single intermediate band
- Generation two: two bands settle it
- Why semi-conservative matters
- From hint to machinery
- Worked example: predict generation three
- Worked example: diagnosing a rival universe
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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