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Related Concept Videos

Leaving Groups02:14

Leaving Groups

The nature of leaving groups strongly influences the outcome of a nucleophilic substitution reaction.
In general, in a nucleophilic substitution reaction, a nucleophile displaces a functional group, called the leaving group, from the substrate to give a substituted product. A leaving group departs the substrate molecule through heterolytic cleavage, taking the pair of electrons with it to become a relatively stable weak base in the form of an anion or a neutral molecule.  
In a nucleophilic...
Lagging Strand Synthesis01:59

Lagging Strand Synthesis

During replication, the complementary strands in double-stranded DNA are synthesized at different rates. Replication first begins on the leading strand. Replication starts later, occurs more slowly, and proceeds discontinuously on the lagging strand.
There are several major differences between synthesis of the leading strand and synthesis of the lagging strand. 1) Leading strand synthesis happens in the direction of replication fork opening, whereas lagging strand synthesis happens in the...
Lagging Strand Synthesis01:59

Lagging Strand Synthesis

During replication, the complementary strands in double-stranded DNA are synthesized at different rates. Replication first begins on the leading strand. Replication starts later, occurs more slowly, and proceeds discontinuously on the lagging strand.
There are several major differences between synthesis of the leading strand and synthesis of the lagging strand. 1) Leading strand synthesis happens in the direction of replication fork opening, whereas lagging strand synthesis happens in the...
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the generated carbocation,...
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this species into the...
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 21, 2026

Direct Restart of a Replication Fork Stalled by a Head-On RNA Polymerase
07:27

Direct Restart of a Replication Fork Stalled by a Head-On RNA Polymerase

Published on: April 29, 2010

Redesigning the leaving group in nucleic acid polymerization.

P Herdewijn1, P Marlière

  • 1Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. piet.herdewijn@rega.kuleuven.be

FEBS Letters
|June 20, 2012
PubMed
Summary

This study explores novel artificial nucleic acids (XNA) for in vivo genetic information propagation. By using distinct leaving groups, XNA can be synthesized independently of cellular processes, enabling new biotechnological applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Synthetic Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Natural nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) use nucleoside triphosphates and polymerases, with pyrophosphate as the leaving group.
  • In vivo propagation of artificial nucleic acids risks entanglement with cellular information processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop methods for synthesizing artificial nucleic acids (XNA) that are insulated from cellular machinery.
  • To explore novel leaving groups for XNA biosynthesis, distinct from pyrophosphate.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated the chemical diversity of leaving groups for nucleic acid polymerization.
  • Examined the catalytic mechanism of phosphotransfer with various leaving groups.
  • Assessed polymerase acceptance of novel substrates.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that polymerases can accept a wide range of leaving groups for nucleic acid synthesis.
  • Identified distinct leaving groups that enable XNA biosynthesis separate from cellular pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Systematic exploration of leaving groups is key to creating robust XNA biosynthesis systems.
  • XNA synthesis using non-pyrophosphate leaving groups shows promise for in vivo applications and integration with cellular metabolism.