Schematic, computer graphics representation of the replication of DNA. Most cells reproduce through binary fission, with two daughter cells formed that are identical to their parent. Crick & Watson's model of DNA suggests that genetic information may be conserved if each of the 2 strands of parent DNA acts as a template for the polymerisation of a matching strand. In this way, the sequence of bases along the DNA molecule is preserved. Daughter DNA formed by complete separation of the parent strands consists of one new & one old strand; such a mechanism is termed seminconservative replication.