DNA replication and beyond | Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology


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Access through your institution Buy or subscribe In January 1957, Herbert Taylor and two colleagues published a paper in the _PNAS_ showing clearly that the DNA in chromosomes of the bean


_Vicia faba_ replicates semi-conservatively, as predicted by the Watson–Crick model. By following the distribution of radioactive label during two mitoses, they further showed that each


chromosome behaves like a single DNA molecule. Eighteen months later, in the July 1958 issue of the same journal, Meselson and Stahl showed that the DNA of _Escherichia coli_ also replicates


semi-conservatively, but they did not examine individual chromosomes. Both papers are noteworthy for introducing revolutionary technology to achieve their goals. Taylor _et al_. synthesized


3H-thymidine for the first time and showed that it could be used in autoradiographs to localize newly replicated DNA with μm precision. Meselson and Stahl introduced caesium chloride


density gradient centrifugation, which enabled the physical separation of DNA molecules that differ only slightly in buoyant density. The two experiments are complementary (no pun intended):


both demonstrated that DNA replicates semi-conservatively. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to


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customer support REFERENCES * Taylor, J. H., Woods, P. S. & Hughes, W. L. The organization and duplication of chromosomes as revealed by autoradiographic studies using tritium-labeled


thymidine. _Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA_ 43, 122–128 (1957) Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Meselson, M. & Stahl, F. W. The replication of DNA in _Escherichia coli_. _Proc. Natl Acad. Sci.


USA_ 44, 671–682 (1958) Article  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 3520 San


Martin Drive, Baltimore, 21218, Maryland, USA Joseph G. Gall Authors * Joseph G. Gall View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING


AUTHOR Correspondence to Joseph G. Gall. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The author declares no competing financial interests. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT


THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Gall, J. DNA replication and beyond. _Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol_ 17, 464 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm.2016.89 Download citation * Published: 29 June 2016 *


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