A '''replicon''' is a [[DNA]] molecule or [[RNA]] molecule, or a region of DNA or RNA that [[replication|replicates]] from a single [[origin of replication]].

For prokaryotic chromosomes, the replicon is the entire chromosome.  [[Plasmid]]s and [[bacteriophage]]s also are replicated as single replicons.

For eukaryotic chromosomes, there are multiple replicons per chromosome.  The definition of replicons is somewhat confused with [[Mitochondrion|mitochondria]], as they use unidirectional replication with two separate origins.

See also [[Origin of replication]]

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[[Category:DNA replication]]