More in depth

• What enzyme is responsible for unzipping the DNA strands?

  Helicase
• What does helicase do during DNA replication?

  It breaks the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases.
• What is the role of DNA polymerase in DNA replication?

  It builds the new DNA strand by adding nucleotides.
• What are the short segments of DNA synthesized on the lagging strand called?

  Okazaki fragments
• What is the function of ligase in DNA replication?

  It glues the Okazaki fragments together.
• What are the main components involved in DNA replication?

  • Helicase: Unzips DNA
  • DNA Polymerase: Builds new DNA strands
  • Ligase: Glues Okazaki fragments
  • Primase: Synthesizes RNA primers
  • Okazaki fragments: Short DNA segments on the lagging strand
• What is the direction of the leading strand during DNA replication?

  3' to 5'
• What is the direction of the lagging strand during DNA replication?

  5' to 3'
• What is the role of the DNA primer in replication?

  It provides a starting point for DNA polymerase to begin synthesis.
• How do the leading and lagging strands differ in DNA replication?

  The leading strand is synthesized continuously, while the lagging strand is synthesized in fragments.
• What type of bonds does helicase break during DNA replication?

  Hydrogen bonds
• What is the significance of the 3' and 5' ends in DNA replication?


  They indicate the direction in which DNA strands are synthesized.
• What is the overall purpose of DNA replication?

  To produce two identical copies of DNA for cell division.
• What is the role of single-strand binding proteins during DNA replication?

  They stabilize the unwound DNA strands to prevent them from re-annealing.
• How does the process of DNA replication ensure accuracy?

  DNA polymerase has proofreading abilities to correct errors during synthesis.