Final answer:
At the end of DNA replication, each new DNA molecule will comprise one original strand and one complementary newly synthesized strand, yielding two identical DNA molecules each containing the original genetic information.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the black strand represents the original DNA, the composition of the DNA at the end of the replication process will be such that each of the new DNA molecules consists of one original (parental) strand and one newly synthesized strand. Given the original sequence of TACTAGCTG, which is the complementary strand, the original DNA strand would contain the sequence ATGATCGAC. DNA replication is a semi-conservative process, meaning each of the new DNA molecules will have one old strand and one new strand of DNA.
DNA replication occurs in several stages. During initiation and elongation, enzymes such as DNA polymerase add complementary nucleotides to the separated original strands. Each base in the original strand pairs with its complementary free nucleotide: adenine with thymine and cytosine with guanine. The process is completed at the termination stage, where the two original strands, each bound to its own newly synthesized complementary strand, form two identical DNA molecules.
Therefore, at the end of the process, we will have two DNA molecules, each consisting of one strand from the original DNA and one new complementary strand that has been synthesized. The result is two molecules that are identical to the original DNA molecule, ensuring genetic information is preserved and passed on to daughter cells during cell division.