Answer to Question #148789 in Cell Biology for Rayan

Question

why does DNA replication in bacteria occurs in only one location, whereas in eukaryotes it occurs in many locations simultaneously?

Answer 1

Bacteria are prokaryotes, and therefore, they only have a single replication origin. Therefore, the fact that prokaryotes have a single replication origin indicates why the DNA replication takes place only in one location. However, eukaryotes have multiple replication origins due to their large chromosomes. This implies that for the replication to occur in the entire chromosome, it has to take place in multiple locations to ensure that there is minimal time taken for the process.