Replication and Structure of Simian Virus 40 Chromosomes

Abstract

In contrast to bacterial genomes, mammalian chromosomes are composed of discrete particles, called nucleosomes, which contain about 200 bp of DNA wrapped around an octomer of histones (Kornberg 1977). To understand how eukaryotic chromosomes are replicated, we must answer two primary questions: (1) What is the sequence of molecular events occurring at naturally formed DNA replication forks in mammalian nuclei? (2) How does the structure of the chromosome affect the process of replication?