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What are the differences between protein synthesis and DNA replication?
Posted December 5, 2022
Cell Structures and OrganellesDNA and RNA QuantitationNucleusPhysiological Probes
Answer

Protein synthesis is the process of creating protein molecules while DNA replication is the synthesis of a new DNA molecule from an existing DNA molecule. While these two processes have a few similarities between them, there are also several differences in their mechanism as well as the final product. These are the differences between protein synthesis and DNA replication: 

Basis of differentiationProtein synthesisDNA replication
DefinitionIs the process of creating a functional protein molecule based on the information present in the genesIs the process of creating an identical copy of an existing double-stranded DNA molecule
Site of occurrenceOccurs in the nucleus and the cytoplasmTake place in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the cytoplasm of prokaryotes
MechanismInvolves two processes -Transcription and TranslationInvolves the synthesis of an exact copy of an existing double-stranded DNA molecule
Initiation Can be initiated from RNA or DNACan be initiated from DNA only
Enzymes Only 1 enzyme - RNA polymerase.3 enzymes - RNA primase, DNA polymerase, and Helicase 
mRNAInvolvesmRNA molecules as well as DNADoes not involve mRNA molecules
Final productProtein moleculeExact copy of an existing dsDNA molecule
Additional resources
Gap-directed translesion DNA synthesis of an abasic site on circular DNA templates by a human replication complexDNA and RNA QuantitationHelixyte™ Green Fluorimetric Total Nucleic Acid Quantitation Kit *Optimized for Microplate Readers*

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