Question

Creating a polymer of DNA requires an input of energy (creating order within the cell). Where is this energy derived from during DNA replication?

a) ATP hydrolysis
b) Enzyme activity
c) Heat energy
d) Light energy

Answer 1

The energy for DNA replication is derived from ATP hydrolysis (option a), which releases energy to form the phosphodiester bonds that link nucleotides together in the DNA polymer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The energy derived during DNA replication for the polymerization of DNA comes from ATP hydrolysis. During this process, the bond between the phosphates in ATP is broken, and this releases energy. The energy is then used to form a covalent phosphodiester bond by dehydration synthesis between the incoming nucleotide and the free 3'-OH group on the growing DNA strand.



The DNA polymerase enzyme is responsible for adding nucleotides to the growing DNA chain, and the energy for this comes from the hydrolysis of nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) like ATP, GTP, TTP, and CTP, which are high-energy molecules. Hence, the correct answer to the student's question is a) ATP hydrolysis.