In: Biology
1.) If two DNA strands were aligned parallel to one another, would you see a lagging strand? Why?
2.) Breifly describe how telomeres shorten after DNA replication.
1). The lagging strand would not form if a DNA molecule with both the strands parallelly aligned to each other undergoes replication.
Explanation: The DNA replication occurs in the 5' to 3' direction on the template. The two strands of a DNA molecule are anti-parallel to each other i.e., one strand 5' --> 3' pairs with the other strand in the direction 3'--> 5'. The replication of the DNA molecule involves replication of one strand in the direction 5'-3' as a continuous leading strand and the other strand is synthesized as discontinuous lagging strands.
2). Telomeres shorten after DNA replication
The formation of a complementary DNA strand on the leading strand by DNA polymerase is easier. However, in the lagging strands, each has a short RNA primer at the replication initiation site. All the RNA primers, except the one on the last Okazaki fragment, are converted to the DNA while repairing. The last RNA primer on the DNA is destroyed by RNases, which also leads to some DNA in the telomere region.