AP BIOLOGY

THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITANCE

DNA REPLICATION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which enzyme breaks the hydrogen bonds between the two DNA strands?
A
Topoisomerase
B
Helicase
C
DNA polymerase
D
Ligase
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Key enzyme involved in DNA replication, it is responsible for ‘unzipping’ the double helix structure by breaking the hydrogen bonds between bases on opposite strands of the DNA molecule.

Detailed explanation-2: -DNA helicases are molecular motors. Through conformational changes caused by ATP hydrolysis and binding, they move along the template double helix, break the hydrogen bonds between the two strands and separate the template chains, so that the genetic information can be accessed.

Detailed explanation-3: -DNA helicases catalyze the disruption of the hydrogen bonds that hold the two strands of double-stranded DNA together. This energy-requiring unwinding reaction results in the formation of the single-stranded DNA required as a template or reaction intermediate in DNA replication, repair and recombination.

Detailed explanation-4: -The main function of DNA helicase is to separate two strands of DNA for replication. Helicase is the enzyme, which unzips the DNA strands by breaking the hydrogen bonds between them.

Detailed explanation-5: -Answer b. Helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds holding together the two strands of DNA.

There is 1 question to complete.