AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The problem is solved with the help of an enzyme called primase. Primase makes an RNA primer, or short stretch of nucleic acid complementary to the template, that provides a 3’ end for DNA polymerase to work on. A typical primer is about five to ten nucleotides long.

Detailed explanation-2: -The enzyme is called DNA polymerase.

Detailed explanation-3: -It is critical that primers are synthesized by primase before DNA replication can occur. This is because the enzymes that synthesize DNA, which are called DNA polymerases, can only attach new DNA nucleotides to an existing strand of nucleotides. Therefore, primase serves to prime and lay a foundation for DNA synthesis.

Detailed explanation-4: -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-5: -The order of enzymes in DNA replication include the following: DNA helicase, RNA primase, DNA polymerase, and finally DNA ligase. During the process of DNA replication, the double helix unwinds with the help of the enzyme DNA helicase.