Meselson-Stahl
            experiment
 
Alternative Modes of  DNA replication:
Semiconservative, Conservative, & Dispersive
 
The Meselson-Stahl experiment used density gradient centrigugation to follow the behavior of newly-synthesized DNA strands. The experimental results are shown on the right, as they appear in the original 1958 paper.

Homework: The diagrams show the alternative "conservative" and "dispersive" models, and the actual results.
       (1) Explain how the data support the semi-conservative model.
       (2)   At which timepoint is it possible to eliminate the alternative Conservative and Dispersive models of replication? Explain.

 


Text © 2014 by Steven M. Carr