Question

What is the function of the primosome?

a It initiates synthesis of a DNA strand. This normally functions to reinitiate at lesions (severe mutations) in the DNA.
b It terminates DNA synthesis.
c It elongates lagging strand during synthesis.
d It elongates leading strand during synthesis.

Answer 1

The primosome initiates synthesis of a DNA strand by creating RNA primers necessary for both leading and lagging strand synthesis during DNA replication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The function of the primosome is to initiate synthesis of a DNA strand. The primosome is a protein complex essential for the replication of DNA. In both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, DNA replication requires a primer to start the synthesis, which is later extended by DNA polymerase through addition of nucleotides. Particularly during the replication of the lagging strand, which is synthesized in short segments known as Okazaki fragments, the primosome plays a vital role in creating RNA primers for each fragment. After the synthesis begins, the RNA primers are removed and the gaps are filled with DNA nucleotides. The DNA ligase enzyme then links these segments into a continuous strand. This process ensures that the genetic information is faithfully duplicated and the chromosomes are properly replicated.