Eukaryotes vs. Prokaryotes in DNA Replication
DNA was first discovered in the 1860s by Friedrich Miescher and name nuclein, due to the recovery of these chemicals from the nucleus of a cell (Biology, 2015).
DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, is a unique, hereditary, chemical present in most living organisms. DNA presents in two distinct areas in the body; the majority existing in the nucleus as nuclear DNA, with a minor amount in the mitochondria, mtDNA. DNA consists of four main chemical bases, i.e. adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, which in turn, form specific base pairs. Moreover, these base pairs, nitrogenous in nature, attach to a sugar (deoxyribose) and phosphate molecule, labelled as a nucleotide, and arranged in a spiral called a double helix. Three billion bases occur within each of us, and it is the arrangement of this linear string that encompasses all the information required to build and maintain an organism; it is our genetic blueprint. Consequently, these strands are capable of self reproduction, a.k.a. a self-replicating molecule (Genetics Home Reference, 2018). See DNA double helix structure in Figure 1.
Figure 1: DNA structure (Genetics Home Reference, 2018).
For today's discussion, we're focusing on the similarities and differences in DNA replication between eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
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First question, what are prokaryotes and eukaryotes? Prokaryotes are single-celled, simple, organisms, without a membrane-bound nuclei. They belong to the domains of Bacteria and Archaea. Eukaryotes are multi-cellular organisms with membrane-encapsulated organelles and nucleus and larger in size to prokaryotes. Eukaryotes reside in the domain Eukarya. DNA replication is a high-level process with multiple steps requiring precise coordination of movement by specific enzyme and
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule found in all forms of life that is passed down from parents to offspring. What makes each DNA unique is the chemical makeup of the molecule sometimes referred to as the “blueprint of life.” (BIO). DNA is made up of nucleotides consisting of a sugar, a phosphate and a base pair. About six million nucleotide base pairs make up DNA in each cell.
The biochemistry is very similar through all organisms with each containing DNA made from adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. First, the DNA is transcribed into mRNA. That specific RNA is then converted into an amino acid sequence by ribosomal RNA. The amino acid code makes up a polymer that ultimately becomes the protein that constructs the organism’s distinctiveness. That is how the given organisms establish their physiognomies.
In this course, we have studied the many characteristics of DNA which include that it is double helix that contains genetic material and it is kept stable by hydrogen bonds. DNA is made up of smaller units called nucleotides. In turn, each nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a sugar and a nitrogenous base. DNA also include base pairing which is the 'copying' mechanism for DNA. In DNA, bases are the adenine base, which only pairs with a thymine
The two chains are form a double helix structure, with the pattern of each chain complementary to the other, with Adenine hydrogen bonding to Thymine, and Guanine hydrogen bonding to Cytosine. The DNA along with specific proteins are further organised into Chromosomes, individual continuous pieces of DNA. b.)
2. How does DNA replicate itself? In order to replicate itself, DNA undergoes DNA replication, a process in which the DNA unwinds and splits in two. From that point on, new nucleotides are added to each of the original strands (A to T, C to G) until the result is two identical sequence copies of DNA.
The sequence of the bases provides the information, so the DNA is like the hard
The rise of eukaryotes from prokaryotes is explained in the endosymbiotic theory, which expresses a concept where one bacterium engulfed a separate, independent bacterium. The bacterium that was engulfed now lives inside the other bacteria forming beneficial relationship. This form of living was then passed onto its offspring and all other generations
DNA also has a nitrogenous base called thymine. rRNA rRNA is made up of a chain consisting of between 100 to 3000 nucleotides, these chains are made inside the nucleus of a cell, it also associates with
Just like eukaryotes, prokaryotes also goes through polymerase and the process of having continuous and lagging replication. However, as mentioned earlier prokaryotes are much simpler in contrast eukaryotes which is has a higher complexity and its size than prokaryotes during replication eukaryote have more DNA than prokaryotes. Another difference is that eukaryotic cells have multiple points of origins than prokaryotic cells that only have one point of origin also it contains less polymerases than eukaryotes as well. However, prokaryotic cells replicate at a higher rate than eukaryotes relative to its
The goal of the research was to visualize the chemical reaction of DNA synthesis. The researchers used x-ray crystallography to follow the bond formation and structural changes associated with DNA replication reactions. These transition states have never been visualized previously. They catalysed the reaction by using DNA polymerase (Pol) and were able to extend the use of flash freeze technology.
Many copies are made in the cell until enough have been manufactured. Once this point is reached, the phage produces an enzyme to break down the cell wall of the bacterial cell, so that the new phages can go on to repeat
12. Both prokaryotes and archaea tend to multiply by binary fission and they both move by using a flagellum. They are also both similar in size and shape. However, archaea differ from prokaryotes because they can survive in extreme environments. Also, archaea do not have cell walls made up of peptidoglycan.
Prokaryotic cells are single-celled organisms that have no nucleus. Prokaryotic cells were found about 3.5 billion years ago. Prokaryotes have DNA in the cells that are circular because they’re located in the cytoplasm . Prokaryotic cells are smaller and less complex than in eukaryotic cells. There are no membrane or bound organelles in the cell.
While Prokaryotic DNA replication is carried out by DNA polymerase I and III Initiation Eukaryotic DNA is very large, and the chromosomes is organized in linear fashion. Because of the very large nature of the amount of material to be copied, the DNA replication has multiple origins on each chromosome. The process of replication can initiate independently of each other’s origin and break off at the corresponding termination sites. As a result, the DNA replication is faster with each chromosome having several replicons. E.g. human can have 100,000 replication origins.
Since the transcription in prokaryotes is coupled, they do not have time and energy to splicing the non-coding DNA out of the gene. They also completely lack the spliceosomal pathway (3) which served for splicing. Compared to eukaryotes, they have cell nucleus where splicing can be done so non-coding DNA after elimination will accumulate in the cell. While splicing requires much energy, prokaryotes cannot afford it. But a eukaryotic cell can have tens, hundreds or even thousands of mitochondria that have similar energy output to a bacterial cell, while having a genome about 100-500 times smaller (human genome compared to genome of a E. coli