Role of DNA Polymerase in Replication

Medium Biochemistry Nucleic Acids And Dna Replication

During DNA replication, several key enzymes play crucial roles to ensure that the genetic material is accurately copied. One important enzyme is DNA polymerase, which synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides complementary to the template strand. Another crucial enzyme is helicase, which unwinds the double helix structure of the DNA to create two single strands for replication. As the strands separate, RNA primase lays down short RNA primers that are necessary for DNA polymerase to initiate synthesis.

In humans, DNA replication is characterized by a leading strand and a lagging strand. The leading strand is synthesized continuously, while the lagging strand is synthesized in short segments known as Okazaki fragments. Understanding these processes is essential for comprehending how mutations can occur if errors are not corrected during DNA replication.

Based on this information, which of the following statements is correct regarding the role of DNA polymerase during replication?

DNA polymerase synthesizes RNA primers necessary for starting DNA replication.

DNA polymerase adds nucleotides in the 3' to 5' direction on the new strand.

DNA polymerase requires a pre-existing strand to initiate the synthesis of new DNA.

DNA polymerase unwinds the DNA double helix to expose the template strands.

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