AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Semiconservative replication is so named because one of the strands of DNA in each of the two copies of DNA is ancient and conserved while the other is newly produced at the moment of replication.

Detailed explanation-2: -One of the most important concepts of DNA replication is that it is a semi-conservative process (Figure 7.2. 7). This means that every double helix in the new generation of an organism consists of one complete “old” strand and one complete “new” strand wrapped around each other.

Detailed explanation-3: -Semi-conservative replication means that during DNA replication, the two strands of nucleotides separate. Both strands then form the template for free nucleotides to bind to to create the two identical daughter strands. Hence each daughter strand has half of the DNA from the original strand and half newly-formed DNA.