Question

Termination of DNA synthesis in E. coli and humans differ significantly because of the genomic structures involved, namely a circular genome in bacteria and linear chromosomes in humans. Briefly describe structure and function of the ONE key E. coli protein and the ONE key human protein that are each needed for high fidelity termination of DNA replication.

Answer 1

Main protein in ending high fidelity in E. Coli is the Tus protein that binds to Ter sequences in order to prevent replication forks from passing through the end region. In the Ter sequences, the Tus protein blocks replication by establishing a close association with a particular G-C base pair.

The main protein in human cells is telomerase, which contains an RNA primer and is required to extend the synthesis of lagging strands in linear chromosomal telomeres.