1.) In the cell cycle, identify the stage where a particular enzyme that assists the DNA in creating two new strands would be found in the highest concentration.
2.) In the cell cycle, identify the stage that lasts the shortest amount of time.
1.) To identify the stage in the cell cycle where a particular enzyme that assists DNA in creating two new strands is found in the highest concentration, we need to understand the stages of the cell cycle. The cell cycle is divided into two main stages: interphase and mitosis.
During interphase, the cell prepares for cell division by growing in size, duplicating its DNA, and synthesizing proteins. Interphase consists of three sub-phases: G1 (gap 1) phase, S phase (synthesis), and G2 (gap 2) phase.
The enzyme that assists the DNA in creating two new strands is DNA polymerase. DNA polymerase is required during the S phase of interphase when DNA replication takes place. This is the stage where the cell duplicates its DNA, resulting in two identical sets of chromosomes.
Therefore, the S phase of interphase is the stage in the cell cycle where the particular enzyme, DNA polymerase, would be found in the highest concentration.
2.) To identify the stage in the cell cycle that lasts the shortest amount of time, we again need to understand the stages of the cell cycle.
The cell cycle consists of interphase and mitosis. Interphase is the longest stage in the cell cycle and is divided into three sub-phases: G1, S, and G2 phases.
The shortest stage in the cell cycle is mitosis, also known as the M phase. Mitosis is the process of nuclear division, in which the duplicated chromosomes separate and are evenly distributed into two daughter nuclei. Mitosis is further divided into four stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Among these four stages, prophase is usually the longest, while metaphase, anaphase, and telophase take relatively shorter amounts of time. However, it is important to note that the duration of each stage can vary depending on the type of cell and the specific conditions.
Therefore, the stage in the cell cycle that lasts the shortest amount of time is the M phase, specifically the metaphase, anaphase, and telophase stages within mitosis.