While conducting experiments with E. coli, Meselson and Stahl established that during DNA replication, each of the two strands that compose the double helix were used as a template for the new strands of DNA. The scientists described the replication method as semi-conservative. Explain what this means in terms of DNA replication. A) The two original DNA strands, the parental strands, woulde-be used as templates to synthesize new strands. B) After base pairing, both copies of the new DNA molecules would be a mix of alternating segments of old and new DNA. C) Base pairing would result in two double-stranded DNA molecules that would include one parental or old strand and one daughter or new strand. D) The two newly-synthesized strands, the daughter strands, would basepair with each other; one to form one all-old strand and one all-new strand.
Biology · Middle School · Wed Jan 13 2021
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The concept of semi-conservative replication, as described by Meselson and Stahl, implies: C) Base pairing would result in two double-stranded DNA molecules that would include one parental or old strand and one daughter or new strand.
In semi-conservative replication, when DNA replicates, each original or parental DNA strand acts as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. As a result, after replication, each newly formed double-stranded DNA molecule consists of one parental or old strand paired with one newly synthesized daughter or new strand. This process ensures that each daughter DNA molecule retains one strand from the original parental DNA and one newly synthesized complementary strand.