Skip to main content
Back

Meselson-Stahl Experiment definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Meselson-Stahl Experiment
    A landmark study using isotopic labeling to confirm the semi-conservative mechanism of DNA replication in E. coli.
  • Semi-conservative Model
    A replication process where each DNA molecule contains one parental strand and one newly synthesized strand.
  • Conservative Model
    A disproven hypothesis suggesting the original DNA molecule remains intact while an entirely new copy is made.
  • Dispersive Model
    A rejected theory proposing that parental DNA is interspersed in segments throughout both strands of daughter molecules.
  • DNA Replication
    The cellular process ensuring genetic information is accurately copied for transmission to new cells.
  • E. coli
    A bacterial species used as a model organism to study DNA replication mechanisms in the experiment.
  • Nitrogen-15
    A heavy isotope used to label original DNA strands, allowing differentiation from newly synthesized DNA.
  • Nitrogen-14
    A lighter isotope incorporated into new DNA strands, enabling tracking of replication events.
  • Parental Strand
    An original DNA strand serving as a template for the synthesis of a complementary new strand.
  • Template
    A DNA strand guiding the assembly of a complementary sequence during replication.
  • Isotopic Labeling
    A technique using different atomic forms to distinguish between old and new DNA strands.
  • Generation
    A single cycle of cell division, marking the passage of genetic material to progeny.
  • Strand Separation
    The process where two DNA strands dissociate, allowing each to guide synthesis of a new partner.
  • Model Organism
    A species extensively studied to understand biological processes, such as E. coli in DNA research.
  • Replication Mechanism
    The specific sequence of molecular events by which DNA is duplicated within a cell.