Final answer:
DNA replicates thanks to its double helix structure, where complementary base pairing allows strands to serve as templates for new strands. Enzymes like helicases, topoisomerases, and DNA polymerase, facilitate the unwinding and synthesis of DNA, ensuring high fidelity replication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The structural feature that allows DNA to replicate is the complementary base pairing of its double helix structure. The double helix is held together by a cumulative effect of millions of hydrogen bonds between nitrogenous bases, which, despite their collective strength, are relatively weak individually. This weak bonding allows the strands to unzip easily during replication. During this process, each strand can act as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand, a mechanism that is both simple and effective for preserving genetic information and facilitating high fidelity in DNA replication.
Important enzymes such as helicases and topoisomerases are involved in unwinding the double helix and relieving supercoiling, making the DNA accessible for replication. Another key enzyme is DNA polymerase, which adds new nucleotides to the growing strand but requires a primer to initiate the process. This semi-conservative mechanism of replication, where each new DNA molecule contains one parental and one new strand, ensures that each daughter cell receives an accurate copy of the DNA following cell division.