AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The mechanism involves an enzyme called DNA primase, which uses ribonucleoside triphosphates to synthesize short RNA primers on the lagging strand (Figure 5-12). In eucaryotes, these primers are about 10 nucleotides long and are made at intervals of 100–200 nucleotides on the lagging strand.

Detailed explanation-2: -Ligase is an enzyme that joins the two strands of DNA together. It is used to join the Okazaki fragments that are produced on the lagging strand of the replication fork. Primase enzyme binds itself at the end of the leading strand.

Detailed explanation-3: -The lagging strand is a single DNA strand that, during DNA replication, is replicated in the 5′ – 3′ direction (opposite direction to the replication fork). DNA is added to the lagging strand in discontinuous chunks called ‘okazaki fragments’.