rolling circle replication or sigma (r) replication

a mode of REPLICATION for some double-stranded circular DNA (or RNA) molecules, such as certain BACTERIOPHAGE GENOMES. A NICK is first introduced into one of the strands of the double-stranded molecule. The other strand remains closed and serves as a TEMPLATE for DNA synthesis. The circular structure ‘rolls’ as synthesis proceeds, and the open strand is gradually displaced, creating a tail. The tail also serves as a template for DNA synthesis. As rolling circle replication continues unabated a CONCATEMER may form from the tail, where many turns of the circle occur before the tail is cut to generate a monomer. Since the molecular structure created during the replication process resembles the Greek letter sigma, it is also referred to as replication. This is the way certain VIRUSES achieve replication of the genome.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

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References in periodicals archive

Rep is conserved gene in function and position among geminiviruses except in Mastrevirus which is indispensable for rolling circle replication of virus genome (Hanley-Bowdoin et al.,2004).

MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF A BEGOMOVIRUS AND ASSOCIATED SATELLITES FROM COTTON (GOSSYPIUMHIRSUTUM FROM DERA GHAZI KHAN DISTRICT OF PAKISTAN

Rolling circle replication in solution was developed to form billions of discrete DNA nanoballs (DNBs), each comprising a concatemer with approximately 500 copies of the original circle.

Accurate whole genome sequencing as the ultimate genetic test

While last month's and this month's columns together have not covered all of the non-PCR nucleic acid amplification strategies in use today (loop-mediated isothermal amplification [LAMP], strand displacement amplification [SDAJ, and rolling circle replication [RCR] are other methods one may encounter), hopefully they will have opened the reader's eyes to the existence of a range of competing technologies for molecular diagnostic applications.

Alternative nucleic amplification strategies, part 2: LCA and HDA

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