Question

Compare the process of replication on the 3’ strand and on the 5’ strand.

Answer 1

DNA replication is the process by which a copy of the DNA molecule is made. First, DNA helicase unzips the DNA and then DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to each strand of DNA, in the 5' to 3' direction. Transcription is the formation of a molecule of mRNA, from a strand of DNA. Again, helicase unzips the DNA, and now RNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the growing mRNA strand. At the end of replication, there are two identical, double stranded molecules of DNA, and at the end of transcription, there is the original molecule of DNA, plus a single stranded molecule of mRNA.