What is DNA Polymerase

DNA polymerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides into a DNA strand. DNA polymerases are best-known for their role in DNA replication, in which the polymerase “reads” an intact DNA strand as a template and uses it...

READ MORE - What is DNA Polymerase

DNA Evolution

DNA contains the genetic information that allows all modern living things to function, grow and reproduce. However, it is unclear how long in the 4-billion-year history of life DNA has performed this function, as it has been proposed that the earliest...

READ MORE - DNA Evolution

DNA Polymerase Function

DNA polymerase function is can add free nucleotides to only the 3′ end of the newly-forming strand. This results in elongation of the new strand in a 5′-3′ direction. No known DNA polymerase is able to begin a new chain (de novo). DNA polymerase can...

READ MORE - DNA Polymerase Function

DNA Polymerase

DNA polymerases are a family of enzymes that carry out all forms of DNA replication. However, a DNA polymerase can only extend an existing DNA strand paired with a template strand; it cannot begin the synthesis of a new strand. To begin synthesis, a...

READ MORE - DNA Polymerase

DNA Model

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that contains all the information to determine who you are and what you look like. The chemical compound that makes up DNA was first discovered by Friedrich Miescher in Germany around 1869. In 1953, Francis...

READ MORE - DNA Model

Function of DNA

DNA is found primarily in the nucleus of a cell in strands of genetic material called chromosomes. Each chromosome is a single piece of double stranded DNA; specific areas of the chromosome that are responsible for particular body functions are called...

READ MORE - Function of DNA

DNA Isolation

DNA isolation is a routine procedure to collect DNA for subsequent molecular or forensic analysis. There are three basic and one optional steps in a DNA extraction: Breaking the cells open, commonly referred to as cell disruption or cell lysis, to...

READ MORE - DNA Isolation

DNA Methylation

DNA methylation is a crucial part of normal organismal development and cellular differentiation in higher organisms. DNA methylation stably alters the gene expression pattern in cells such that cells can “remember where they have been” or decrease gene...

READ MORE - DNA Methylation

DNA Function

DNA usually occurs as linear chromosomes in eukaryotes, and circular chromosomes in prokaryotes. The set of chromosomes in a cell makes up its genome; the human genome has approximately 3 billion base pairs of DNA arranged into 46 chromosomes. The information...

READ MORE - DNA Function

DNA Structure

Illustration of the double helical structure of the DNA molecule. The structure of DNA is illustrated by a right handed double helix, with about 10 nucleotide pairs per helical turn. Each spiral strand, composed of a sugar phosphate backbone and attached...

READ MORE - DNA Structure

DNA

Deoxyribo nucleic acid or DNA is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms (with the exception of RNA viruses). The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage...

READ MORE - DNA

DNA and RNA

DNA and RNA are two different nucleic acids found in the cells of every living organism. Both have significant roles to play in cell biology. DNA and RNA structure are similar because they both consist of long chains of nucleotide units. However, there...

READ MORE - DNA and RNA