Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
What is the primary role of exonucleases during DNA replication?
A
They synthesize new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to the template strand.
B
They join Okazaki fragments together on the lagging strand.
C
They remove incorrectly paired nucleotides from the newly synthesized DNA strand.
D
They unwind the DNA double helix ahead of the replication fork.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that DNA replication involves multiple enzymes, each with a specific role to ensure accurate copying of genetic material.
Recall that exonucleases are enzymes that remove nucleotides from the ends of DNA strands, which is crucial for proofreading during replication.
Recognize that during DNA replication, DNA polymerases can sometimes incorporate incorrect nucleotides, and exonucleases help by excising these mismatched bases.
Note that this proofreading activity of exonucleases improves the fidelity of DNA replication by removing incorrectly paired nucleotides from the newly synthesized strand.
Differentiate exonuclease activity from other enzymes: DNA polymerases synthesize DNA, ligases join Okazaki fragments, and helicases unwind the DNA helix.