Questions about DNA Replication: RNA Primer, 3' to 5', TRNA

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the roles of RNA primers and tRNA in DNA replication. RNA primers, synthesized by RNA primase, are essential for initiating replication as they provide a starting point for DNA polymerase, which operates in a 3' to 5' direction. The 3' and 5' designations refer to the orientation of the DNA strands, crucial for understanding polymerase activity. tRNA is synthesized by RNA polymerase during gene transcription, although the exact location of this process remains unclear.

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Dual Op Amp
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I have a question, I saw many animations of DNA replication. But there's a couple of questions I don't understand.
1. What is the difference between RNA primer and DNA?
2. When it says 3' to 5', what's that?
3. Where is TRNA made?
 
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Dual Op Amp said:
1. What is the difference between RNA primer and DNA?

The RNA primer is there to allow the polymerase to initiate replication. The primer is a short sequence and it is complementary to the parental strand. The RNA primer is sequenced by RNA primase.

Dual Op Amp said:
2. When it says 3' to 5', what's that?

It has to do with the DNA molecule. Look at the following picture
http://www.colorado.edu/MCDB/MCDB1150/ohd/dnamolecules.JPG
You see how the each nucleotides are attached. So when the the DNA polymerase is moving along it goes from the 3' end to the 5' site.

Dual Op Amp said:
3. Where is TRNA made?

tRNA is synthesis by a RNA polymerase in the same fashion than normal gene transcription. The strucuture is a normal feature of RNA and will fold without any help. The acceptor site the added but it not well known were the this is happening.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1.) RNA primer is the thing that lays down the primers. Primers are a sequence of complementary RNA bases to which the DNA polymerase begins attaching its DNA nucleotides. This is done in both the leading and lagging strand, except the lagging strand has more primers.

2.) During RNA synthesis, the DNA strand is read in a 3' to 5' direction. 3' and 5' are two ends of the DNA strand.

3.) I'm not sure, but I think tRNA is made via RNA replication

A good site for info is www.wikipedia.org ; or you can just google this stuff.

EDIT: Sorry, I see someone has answered this already...
 
Last edited:
iansmith said:
The RNA primer is there to allow the polymerase to initiate replication. The primer is a short sequence and it is complementary to the parental strand. The RNA primer is sequenced by RNA primase.

Why RNA primer instead of DNA? does the OH in RNA molecule have something to do with this? Or what else can be determining?

Edit: maybe 3' OH end supplies the energy for synthesis?
 
DNA polimerases cannot work without a 3' OH end, but RNA polimerase can.
 

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