Replication
The process by which DNA makes a copy of itself before cell division. Each strand serves as a template for a new complementary strand, producing two identical DNA molecules.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 16 chapters:
"...earn why most expansions fail: they try to transfer phenotype (surface behaviors), not genotype (core DNA). You'll learn how to design for successful replication. Book 7: Competition & Cooperation How organisms interact strategically. Evolution isn't just competition - it's also cooperation, symbiosis, an..."
"It goes through specific phases: - G1: The cell grows, produces proteins, lives its normal life - S: DNA replication - the cell copies all its genetic material - G2: More growth, preparation for division - M: Mitosis proper - chromosomes separate, cell divides At m..."
"Chapter 5: Reproduction and Replication When Growth Means Copying What Works Right now, in your gut, a bacterium is dividing. It takes 20 minutes."
"... But zero variation is equally dangerous: you're a clipper ship the year before the Suez Canal opens. Create variation deliberately. Chapter 5's DNA replication showed asexual reproduction (franchising) creates identical copies. Sexual reproduction (M&A) creates recombination."
"We analyzed growth mechanisms and constraints (Chapter 3). We studied environmental sensing and feedback loops (Chapter 4). We traced reproduction, replication, and DNA transfer (Chapter 5). We mapped symbiotic relationships and mutualism (Chapter 6). We dissected natural selection, fitness, and adaptation (..."
And 11 more chapters...
Biological Context
DNA replication is remarkably accurate—about one error per billion nucleotides copied, thanks to proofreading enzymes. Replication occurs at multiple origins simultaneously in eukaryotes. Errors that escape proofreading become mutations, providing raw material for evolution.
Business Application
Business replication: copying successful models, processes, or products. Like DNA replication, business replication requires templates and machinery. Replication fidelity matters—too many errors degrade the copy; some variation enables adaptation.