Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The DNA Replication Fork

The DNA Replication Fork

An organism’s genome needs to be duplicated in an efficient and error-free manner for its growth and survival. The replication fork is a Y-shaped active region where two strands of DNA are separated and replicated continuously. The coupling of DNA unzipping and complementary strand synthesis is a characteristic feature of a replication fork. Organisms with small circular DNA, such as E. coli, often have a single origin of replication; therefore, they have only two replication forks, one in...

The DNA Replication Fork

The DNA Replication Fork

An organism’s genome needs to be duplicated in an efficient and error-free manner for its growth and survival. The replication fork is a Y-shaped active region where two strands of DNA are separated and replicated continuously. The coupling of DNA unzipping and complementary strand synthesis is a characteristic feature of a replication fork. Organisms with small circular DNA, such as E. coli, often have a single origin of replication; therefore, they have only two replication forks, one in...

The Replisome

The Replisome

DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with the...

The Replisome

The Replisome

DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with the...

DNA Replication

DNA Replication

DNA replication involves the separation of the two strands of the double helix, with each strand serving as a template from which the new complementary strand is copied. After replication, each double-stranded DNA includes one parental or “old” strand and one “new” strand. This is known as semiconservative replication. The resulting DNA molecules have the same sequence and are divided equally into the two daughter cells.
Replication in Prokaryotes
DNA replication uses a large number of...

Replication in Eukaryotes

Replication in Eukaryotes

In eukaryotic cells, DNA replication is highly conserved and tightly regulated. Multiple linear chromosomes must be duplicated with high fidelity before cell division, so there are many proteins that fulfill specialized roles in the replication process. Replication occurs in three phases: initiation, elongation, and termination, and ends with two complete sets of chromosomes in the nucleus.
Many Proteins Orchestrate Replication at the Origin
Eukaryotic replication follows many of the same...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis without phenotypic selection.

Current protocols in neuroscience·2008

Same author

Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis without phenotypic selection.

Current protocols in molecular biology·2008

Same author

Evidence that errors made by DNA polymerase alpha are corrected by DNA polymerase delta.

Current biology : CB·2006

Same author

Human DNA polymerase kappa: a novel DNA polymerase of unknown biological function encoded by the DINB1 gene.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2003

Same author

Streisinger revisited: DNA synthesis errors mediated by substrate misalignments.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2003

Same author

Family growth: the eukaryotic DNA polymerase revolution.

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS·2002

Same journal

Functional and Mechanistic Interplay of Host and Viral Alternative Splicing Regulation during Influenza Infection.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2020

Same journal

Myriad RNAs and RNA-Binding Proteins Control Cell Functions, Explain Diseases, and Guide New Therapies.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2020

Same journal

Small RNA Function in Plants: From Chromatin to the Next Generation.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2020

Same journal

U1 snRNP Telescripting Roles in Transcription and Its Mechanism.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2020

Same journal

The THO Complex as a Paradigm for the Prevention of Cotranscriptional R-Loops.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2020

Same journal

Biophysical Properties of HP1-Mediated Heterochromatin.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2020

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique

Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique

Published on: October 27, 2011

Evolving views of DNA replication (in)fidelity.

¹Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Laboratory of Structural Biology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. kunkel@niehs.nih.gov

Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology

|November 12, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

DNA polymerases exhibit varying fidelity, impacting mutation rates. This variability in DNA replication accuracy influences genetic stability and evolution, with error rates differing by over a millionfold.

More Related Videos

Strand-Specific Analysis of Proteins at Replicating DNA Strands by Enrichment and Sequencing of Protein-Associated Nascent DNA Method

Strand-Specific Analysis of Proteins at Replicating DNA Strands by Enrichment and Sequencing of Protein-Associated Nascent DNA Method

Published on: May 2, 2025

G2-seq: A High Throughput Sequencing-based Technique for Identifying Late Replicating Regions of the Genome

G2-seq: A High Throughput Sequencing-based Technique for Identifying Late Replicating Regions of the Genome

Published on: March 22, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique

Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique

Published on: October 27, 2011

Strand-Specific Analysis of Proteins at Replicating DNA Strands by Enrichment and Sequencing of Protein-Associated Nascent DNA Method

Strand-Specific Analysis of Proteins at Replicating DNA Strands by Enrichment and Sequencing of Protein-Associated Nascent DNA Method

Published on: May 2, 2025

G2-seq: A High Throughput Sequencing-based Technique for Identifying Late Replicating Regions of the Genome

G2-seq: A High Throughput Sequencing-based Technique for Identifying Late Replicating Regions of the Genome

Published on: March 22, 2018

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

DNA replication is crucial for maintaining genetic information across generations.
Cellular machinery ensures high fidelity DNA replication, balancing accuracy with mutation emergence for evolution.
DNA repair mechanisms address cytotoxic and mutagenic lesions from environmental damage.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the fidelity of DNA replication by various DNA polymerases on both undamaged and damaged DNA.
To understand how DNA polymerase error rates influence mutation rates and their consequences.

Main Methods:

Analysis of DNA replication fidelity across diverse DNA polymerases.
Assessment of DNA synthesis error rates under varying conditions (e.g., presence of lesions).
Evaluation of the impact of polymerase type, error location, and repair on mutation outcomes.

Main Results:

Significant variation exists in DNA replication fidelity among different DNA polymerases.
Some DNA polymerases frequently violate Watson-Crick base-pairing rules.
DNA synthesis error rates can differ by over a millionfold depending on the polymerase and error context.

Conclusions:

The diverse fidelity of DNA polymerases allows for modulation of point mutation rates.
This modulation of mutation rates can have either deleterious or beneficial evolutionary consequences.
Understanding polymerase fidelity is key to comprehending genetic stability and adaptation.