The genome size of E.coli is approximately 5X106 bp and can be replicated in 30 minutes. The human genome size is 3X109 bp, abou
t 600 times larger, and should take 300 hours (~13 days) to replicate based on the bacterial rate of replication. However, the entire human genome is replicated within few hours because_________.
A replicon which is a unit of DNA, has potential to get replicated independently. So, the DNA replication occurs simultaneously at various replicons as a result of which human genome takes much less time than estimated to get replicated .
In contrast to this, prokaryotes like E.coli have only one origin of replication and thus one replicon due to which replication is restricted to once per cell cycle.
