Question

Differentiate between the following :
(a) A leading strand and a lagging strand.
(b) Unidirectional and bidirectional DNA synthesis.

Answer 1

The method of DNA replication is semi discontinuous and described as a semi-conservative method because each daughter DNA molecule is a hybrid conserving one parent is polynucleotide chain and the other one newly synthesized strand.

The DNA is unbounded and there is a form of DNA on the RNA primers.

The new strand on the DNA is formed in the direction 5'-3' from the template. The strand which has the 3'-5' direction is known as the leading strand because the DNA synthesise continuously and 5'-3' direction as one piece. The lagging strand of DNA is synthesized is continuously and its opposite direction in short segments the segments are known as okazaki fragments.

As DNA is double stranded one DNA strand can initiate synthesis at a given point and the replicate strand can go either in one direction which is the unidirectional method or in both the direction which is the bidirectional method.