Best radiolabelled marker for DNA replication is
The core concept here is DNA replication and the nucleotides involved. DNA is made up of deoxyribonucleotides, and during replication, the cell incorporates these nucleotides. Thymidine is a component of DNA, while uracil is in RNA. So radiolabeling thymidine would allow tracking DNA synthesis.
The correct answer is likely thymidine. Let me check why. DNA polymerase adds deoxyribonucleotides, so if you use a radiolabeled thymidine analog like BrdU, it gets incorporated into the DNA. This is commonly used in experiments to measure cell proliferation.
Now, the wrong options. If the options included Cytidine, which is part of RNA, or maybe Adenine, which is present in both DNA and RNA but not specific to DNA replication. Also, maybe something like Uracil, which is not in DNA.
The clinical pearl is that thymidine analogs are key in studying DNA synthesis. Remember, in flow cytometry or autoradiography, BrdU is used.
Wait, but the user's correct answer is missing. Let me make sure. The correct answer is probably thymidine. Let me structure the explanation accordingly.
**Core Concept**
DNA replication involves the synthesis of new DNA strands using deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs). Radiolabeled analogs of these nucleotides allow tracking of DNA synthesis. **Thymidine** is unique to DNA and is the most specific marker for DNA replication.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
**Thymidine** (specifically, its deoxyribonucleotide form, dTTP) is incorporated into newly synthesized DNA strands during replication. Radiolabeled thymidine (e.g., ^3H-thymidine) is widely used in assays like autoradiography and flow cytometry to quantify DNA synthesis. Its specificity for DNA (not RNA) makes it superior for studying replication dynamics.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A: Uracil** β Uracil is a component of RNA, not DNA, and thus not used to label DNA replication.
**Option B: Cytosine** β Cytosine is present in both DNA and RNA, but its incorporation is not DNA-specific.
**Option C: Adenine** β Adenine is found in both DNA (as dATP) and RNA (as ATP), but lacks specificity for replication studies.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
**BrdU (5-bromodeoxyuridine)**, a thymidine analog, is the gold standard for tracking DNA replication in cell cycle studies. Remember: thymidine is DNA-specific, while uracil is RNA-specific.
**Correct Answer: B. Thymidine**