In this episode we connect genetics + central dogma to the next big step: how cells copy DNA and what happens when it goes wrong.

What you’ll learn (MCAT-high yield):

Semi-conservative replication: why each daughter DNA has one old + one new strand

Origins of replication & replication bubbles

Key enzymes: helicase, SSB proteins, topoisomerase, DNA pol III & I, primase, ligase

Leading vs. lagging strands and Okazaki fragments

Proofreading & repair: exonuclease activity, mismatch repair, nucleotide excision repair (UV/thymine dimers)

Mutation types: silent, nonsense, frameshift (+ why location matters)

Where this shows up in cell cycle, cancer biology, and classic experimental set-ups (knockouts)

Perfect for MCAT Bio/Biochem passages that love replication, mutations, and repair pathways.

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