Final answer:
The enzyme helicase is responsible for unzipping DNA by breaking the hydrogen bonds during DNA replication, allowing for the separation of the two strands so that each can be used as a template for the creation of new strands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme responsible for 'unzipping' the DNA during the DNA replication process is called helicase. This critical enzyme takes on the role of separating the two complementary DNA strands by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the nucleotides. Helicase operates at the replication fork to unwind the DNA double helix, essentially acting as the 'gatekeeper' that initiates the replication process.
DNA replication occurs in three main stages, with the initiation stage involving the separation of the two DNA strands. Enzymes such as helicase help unfold and separate these strands, likened to the unzipping of a zipper. The other crucial enzymes that work in conjunction with helicase include DNA polymerase, which adds new nucleotides in the 5'-3' direction forming phosphodiester linkages, and DNA ligase, which joins fragments on the lagging strand.
Helicase serves not just in the replication of DNA but also plays a role in DNA repair and transcription, emphasizing its versatile and indispensable function in cellular biology.