Term: replication https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05300 Definition: The duplication of DNA as part of the reproductive cycle of a cell or virus. During replication the two DNA strands in the double helix separate, and each strand then acts as a template specifying the base sequence of newly synthesized complementary strands. Related Terms: 1) dna (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01597). 2) template (<em>in biotechnology</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06269). 3) helix (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02769). 4) sequence (<em>in biotechnology</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.ST06775). Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 164 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143) Citation: 'replication' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05300 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.