Eukaryotes vs. Prokaryotes in DNA Replication DNA was first discovered in the 1860s by Friedrich Miescher and name nuclein, due to the recovery of these chemicals from the nucleus of a cell (Biology, 2015). DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, is a unique, hereditary, chemical present in most living organisms. DNA presents in two distinct areas in the body; the majority existing in the nucleus as nuclear DNA, with a minor amount in the mitochondria, mtDNA. DNA consists of four main chemical bases, i.e. adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, which in turn, form specific base pairs. Moreover, these base pairs, nitrogenous in nature, attach to a sugar (deoxyribose) and phosphate molecule, labelled as a nucleotide, and arranged in a spiral called a double helix. Three billion bases occur within each of us, and it is the arrangement of this linear string that encompasses all the information required to build and maintain an organism; it is our genetic blueprint. Consequently, these strands are capable of self reproduction, a.k.a. a self-replicating molecule (Genetics Home Reference, 2018). See DNA double helix structure in Figure 1. Figure 1: DNA structure (Genetics Home Reference, 2018). For today's discussion, we're focusing on the similarities and differences in DNA replication between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. …show more content…
First question, what are prokaryotes and eukaryotes? Prokaryotes are single-celled, simple, organisms, without a membrane-bound nuclei. They belong to the domains of Bacteria and Archaea. Eukaryotes are multi-cellular organisms with membrane-encapsulated organelles and nucleus and larger in size to prokaryotes. Eukaryotes reside in the domain Eukarya. DNA replication is a high-level process with multiple steps requiring precise coordination of movement by specific enzyme and