Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
DNA Replication
DNA replication is the biological process by which a cell duplicates its DNA, resulting in two identical copies. This process occurs during the S phase of the cell cycle and involves unwinding the double helix, synthesizing new strands complementary to the original strands, and ensuring accurate copying through various enzymes.
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Leading and Lagging Strands
During DNA replication, the leading strand is synthesized continuously in the direction of the replication fork, while the lagging strand is synthesized in short segments called Okazaki fragments, away from the fork. This difference arises because DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides in a 5' to 3' direction, necessitating a more complex synthesis for the lagging strand.
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RNA Primers and Okazaki Fragments
RNA primers are short sequences of RNA that provide a starting point for DNA synthesis, as DNA polymerase cannot initiate synthesis without them. On the lagging strand, multiple RNA primers are laid down to initiate the synthesis of Okazaki fragments, which are later joined together by DNA ligase to form a continuous strand.
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