A circular molecule of DNA contains 1 million base pairs. If the DNA synthesis at a replication fork occurs at a rate of 100,000 nucleotides per minute, how much time will theta replication require to completely replicate the molecule, assuming that theta replication is bidirectional?

Question

Wayne Conley

Biology

30 April, 19:17

A circular molecule of DNA contains 1 million base pairs. If the DNA synthesis at a replication fork occurs at a rate of 100,000 nucleotides per minute, how much time will theta replication require to completely replicate the molecule, assuming that theta replication is bidirectional?

+1

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Amaris · Answer 1

5 minutes

Explanation:

1. In bidirectional replication; there are two replication forks, and each proceeding at a rate of 100,000 (as given in the question) nucleotides per minute.

2. So, by the given rate of replication, we can calculate that, it would require 5 minutes for the circular DNA molecule to be replicated by bidirectional replication because each fork synthesize 500,000 nucleotides in 5 minutes (100,000 per minute) (as given, in 5 minutes * 100,000 nucleotides per minute = 500,000 and by 2 forks = 1,000,000) within the time period.