AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -A replication fork therefore has an asymmetric structure (Figure 5-8). The DNA daughter strand that is synthesized continuously is known as the leading strand. Its synthesis slightly precedes the synthesis of the daughter strand that is synthesized discontinuously, known as the lagging strand.

Detailed explanation-2: -Leading Strand: The primer acts as the starting point for DNA synthesis. DNA polymerase? binds to the leading strand and then ‘walks’ along it, adding new complementary? nucleotide? bases (A, C, G and T) to the strand of DNA in the 5’ to 3’ direction. This sort of replication is called continuous.

Detailed explanation-3: -The leading strand is a single DNA strand that, during DNA replication, is replicated in the 3’ – 5’ direction (same direction as the replication fork). DNA is added to the leading strand continuously, one complementary base at a time.

Detailed explanation-4: -The DNA strand in which DNA synthesis in 5’–>3’ direction proceeds continuously in the same direction as replication fork movement is called leading strand.

Detailed explanation-5: -DNA polymerase only synthesizes DNA in the 5’ to 3’ direction only. The difference between the leading and lagging strands is that the leading strand is formed towards replication fork, while the lagging strand is formed away from replication fork.