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What is semiconservative replication? DNA is double stranded molecule. Only one strand codes for proteins at any given point in the molecule. However, both strands are used during DNA replication. Each of the four bases in DNA (adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine) binds to a unique complementary base on the other strand. Therefore the base sequence on one strand determines the complementary sequence on the other strand. During DNA replication the two strand separate from one another and each strand has a new complementary strand built onto it. This form of replication is called semiconservative; each new DNA molecule is composed of one conserved strand from the original molecule and one new strand.