self-replicating

(adjective)

able to generate a copy of itself

Related Terms

Examples of self-replicating in the following topics:

  • Evolution of Viruses

    • A third hypothesis posits a system of self-replication similar to that of other self-replicating molecules, probably evolving alongside the cells they rely on as hosts; studies of some plant pathogens support this hypothesis.

  • Genetic Engineering

    • Recombinant DNA technology, or DNA cloning, is the process of transferring a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element, such as a bacteria plasmid, which is called a vector.

  • DNA Replication in Eukaryotes

    • There are specific chromosomal locations called origins of replication where replication begins.
    • Because two helicases bind, two replication forks are formed at the origin of replication; these are extended in both directions as replication proceeds creating a replication bubble.
    • Eukaryotic chromosomes have multiple origins of replication, which initiate replication almost simultaneously.
    • Each origin of replication forms a bubble of duplicated DNA on either side of the origin of replication.
    • Once all the template nucleotides have been replicated, the replication process is not yet over.

  • DNA Replication in Prokaryotes

    • There are specific nucleotide sequences called origins of replication where replication begins.
    • Two replication forks at the origin of replication are extended bi-directionally as replication proceeds.
    • A primer provides the free 3'-OH end to start replication.
    • The replication fork moves at the rate of 1000 nucleotides per second.
    • A replication fork is formed when helicase separates the DNA strands at the origin of replication.

  • Basics of DNA Replication

    • In dispersive replication, after replication both copies of the new DNAs would somehow have alternating segments of parental DNA and newly-synthesized DNA on each of their two strands.
    • Meselson and Stahl were interested in understanding how DNA replicates.
    • Therefore, dispersive replication could also be ruled out.
    • These data support the semi-conservative replication model.
    • The three suggested models of DNA replication.

  • DNA Repair

    • Most mistakes during replication are corrected by DNA polymerase during replication or by post-replication repair mechanisms.
    • DNA replication is a highly accurate process, but mistakes can occasionally occur as when a DNA polymerase inserts a wrong base.
    • Some errors are not corrected during replication, but are instead corrected after replication is completed; this type of repair is known as mismatch repair .
    • Errors during DNA replication are not the only reason why mutations arise in DNA.
    • In mismatch repair, the incorrectly-added base is detected after replication.

  • Telomere Replication

    • As DNA polymerase alone cannot replicate the ends of chromosomes, telomerase aids in their replication and prevents chromosome degradation.
    • After DNA replication, each newly synthesized DNA strand is shorter at its 5' end than at the parental DNA strand's 5' end.
    • These telomeres protect the important genes from being deleted as cells divide and as DNA strands shorten during replication.
    • After sufficient rounds of replication, all the telomeric repeats are lost, and the DNA risks losing coding sequences with subsequent rounds.
    • A simplified schematic of DNA replication where the parental DNA (top) is replicated from three origins of replication, yielding three replication bubbles (middle) before giving rise to two daughter DNAs (bottom).

  • Sympatric Speciation

    • In a normal cell division event, chromosomes replicate, pair up, and then separate so that each new cell has the same number of chromosomes.
    • The prefix "auto-" means "self," so the term means multiple chromosomes from one's own species.
    • However, they could either self-pollinate or reproduce with other autopolyploid plants with gametes having the same diploid number.

  • Pathogen Recognition

    • These PAMPs allow the immune system to recognize "self" from "other" so as not to destroy the host.
    • Once a pathogen is detected, the immune system must also track whether it is replicating intracellularly (inside the cell, as with most viruses and some bacteria) or extracellularly (outside of the cell, as with other bacteria, but not viruses).
    • A function an interferons is to inhibit viral replication, making them particularly effective against viruses.
    • Without iron, certain pathogens (such as some bacteria) are unable to replicate; this is called nutritional immunity.

  • Steps of Virus Infections

    • A virus must use cell processes to replicate.
    • Most productive viral infections follow similar steps in the virus replication cycle: attachment, penetration, uncoating, replication, assembly, and release .
    • The replication mechanism depends on the viral genome.
    • They are then able to infect adjacent cells and repeat the replication cycle.
    • List the steps of viral replication and explain what occurs at each step