Draw a graph depicting the relative amounts of nuclear DNA present in the different stages of the cell cycle (G₁,S,G₂,M). On the same graph, plot the amount of mitochondrial DNA present at each stage of the cell cycle.

Question

Accepted Answer

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. Let's look at our next question. It says which of the following stages of the cell cycle has the highest amount of mitochondrial DNA. And our answer choices are four phases of the cell cycle. A G one B G two CS and D M. So I'm just going to put up a quick little basic diagram of the cell cycle. Our circle divided into four quadrants and we have in the upper right M just shade it in to remind us that's mitosis. So it's kind of the active process of replication. Um we might actually want to start in the lower right with G1 which is sort of the resting phase and then there's little arrows cycling out to G0, which is just nothing's happening. The cells are just sort of quietly existing. They're not in any process of active growth and replication after G one is S the S phase and then G two. So just labeling each of them, what's going on. M, as we said is the phase of mitosis and G one, the cell is sort of resting, we have DNA synthesis going on And G two is sort of the um preparation for mitosis. So we want to think about where we'd need the highest amount of mitochondrial DNA. Well, that would be when there's the highest demand for energy mitochondria. Of course, being those A TB A T P producers in the cell A T P being what's providing the energy. So the phase that needs the most energy is the phase that will need the most mitochondria and therefore the most mitochondrial DNA. So that phase is going to be mitosis. This active process of cell replication and division is going to require more energy than any other phase. There is um you'll need, you know, a slightly elevated amount of energy for the S and G two phases. As DNA is replicating, the cell is getting ready for mitosis, but not as much as the M phase. And then of course, the G one phase is just you're just resting, that would be an even lower amount of energy needed. So that means our answer choice here will be choice d the M phase. See you in the next video.

Draw a graph depicting the relative amounts of nuclear DNA present in the different stages of the cell cycle (G₁,S,G₂,M). On the same graph, plot the amount of mitochondrial DNA present at each stage of the cell cycle.

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Key Concepts

Cell Cycle Stages

Nuclear DNA vs. Mitochondrial DNA

Graphing Biological Data