What is the difference between the leading strand and lagging strand in DNA replication?

Differentiate Between the following:-a. A leading strand and a lagging strandb. Unidirectional and bidirectional DNA synthesis

Answer

Hint: - Both leading and the lagging strand are part of the replication process of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Various enzymes are involved in the process of DNA replication.
- DNA synthesis and different types of organisms (primitive and advanced) does not follow the same modes. The pattern of movement and growth of the replication eye is different in both.Complete answer:
a. The key difference between the leading and lagging strands are as follows:

b. Unidirectional DNA synthesis is only seen in a few prokaryotes whereas bidirectional DNA replication occurs in all eukaryotes and many prokaryotes.

The difference between unidirectional replication of DNA and bidirectional replication of DNA is as follows:

Note:
- DNA replication starts at a point or DNA sequence known as origin of replication. DNA replication occurs in cytoplasm in prokaryotes and it occurs in nucleus of eukaryotes but the basic process of the replication remains same in both eukaryotes as well as prokaryotes.
- Although DNA synthesis occurs in different directions in different organisms, the DNA polymerase acts in the same direction ie.5'-3' only.

Posted July 22, 2020

The leading strand and lagging strand are the two strands at the replication fork, which serve as the templates for DNA replication.

The leading strand is the strand of nascent DNA which is synthesized in the same direction as the growing replication fork. The synthesis of leading strand is continuous.

The lagging strand, on the other hand, is the strand of new DNA whose direction is opposite to the direction of the growing replication fork. Replication of the lagging strand is more complicated than that of the leading strand. It is synthesized in short, separated segments, which are then joined together by DNA ligase to form a continuous DNA strand.

Helixyte™ Green *10,000X Aqueous PCR Solution*

6-ROX glycine *25 uM fluorescence reference solution for PCR reactions*

Perdew, G. H., Heuvel, J. P. V., & Peters, J. M. (2008). Regulation of gene expression. Springer Science & Business Media.

Lodish, H., Berk, A., Kaiser, C. A., Krieger, M., Scott, M. P., Bretscher, A., ... & Matsudaira, P. (2008). Molecular cell biology. Macmillan.

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DNA replication of the leading and lagging strand

The helicase unzips the double-stranded DNA for replication, making a forked structure. The primase generates short strands of RNA that bind to the single-stranded DNA to initiate DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase. This enzyme can work only in the 5' to 3' direction, so it replicates the leading strand continuously. Lagging-strand replication is discontinuous, with short Okazaki fragments being formed and later linked together.

This image is linked to the following Scitable pages:

The decoding of information in a cell's DNA into proteins begins with a complex interaction of nucleic acids. Learn how this step inside the nucleus leads to protein synthesis in the cytoplasm.

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What are the 3 differences between the leading and lagging strand?