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Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World
Chapter 4, Problem 7

What would be the sequence of the strand of DNA that is made from the following template: 5′-GATATCGAT-3′? (Your answer must be written 5'→3'.) How would the sequence be different if RNA were made from this DNA template?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

DNA Replication

DNA replication is the process by which a cell duplicates its DNA before cell division. During this process, the DNA strands separate, and new complementary strands are synthesized based on the original template strands. The base pairing rules dictate that adenine pairs with thymine, and cytosine pairs with guanine, which is essential for accurately copying the genetic information.
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Introduction to DNA Replication

Transcription

Transcription is the process by which the genetic information in DNA is copied into RNA. During transcription, RNA polymerase binds to the DNA template strand and synthesizes a complementary RNA strand. Unlike DNA, RNA uses uracil instead of thymine, which means adenine in the DNA pairs with uracil in the RNA, leading to a different sequence when RNA is produced from a DNA template.
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1) Initiation of Transcription

Nucleotide Base Pairing

Nucleotide base pairing is the specific pairing of nitrogenous bases in nucleic acids, which is crucial for the structure and function of DNA and RNA. In DNA, adenine pairs with thymine and cytosine pairs with guanine, while in RNA, adenine pairs with uracil instead of thymine. Understanding these pairing rules is essential for determining the complementary sequences during DNA replication and RNA transcription.
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