Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Pranav Jha on December 11, 2010, 10:48:02 AM

Title: anti parallel strands
Post by: Pranav Jha on December 11, 2010, 10:48:02 AM

i just started studying the structure of DNA at school and have come to know that the strands of DNA are anti parallel. However, i do not understand WHY they are anti parallel and what role does the anti parallel nature of DNA play in its functioning?

Title: Re: anti parallel strands
Post by: MissPhosgene on December 11, 2010, 08:31:55 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiparallel_%28biochemistry%29

Title: Re: anti parallel strands
Post by: Pranav Jha on December 12, 2010, 08:58:56 PM

why is replicating the two strands in two different directions useful?

Title: Re: anti parallel strands
Post by: Hybrid on December 13, 2010, 01:10:33 AM

Pranav Jha , polymerize enzyme can only act in one direction so one of the strands will be formed completely and one shot but the other will need to be formed as fragments then ligated ; i think this can help natural selection by increasing rate of mutation rather being 2 strands formed simultaneously