Question

Which of the following is not a step in DNA replication?

1) A ribosome reads the genetic code to create specific strings of amino acids that will later form proteins.
2) Free nucleotides are added to the exposed strands to create the complementary strands.
3) The enzyme ligase helps glue together the short fragments of DNA on the lagging strand.
4) The double helix structure is opened by the enzyme helicase, and the two strands of DNA are separated.

Answer 1

The incorrect step in DNA replication is related to protein synthesis involving ribosomes, which is not part of DNA replication but rather of protein translation. DNA replication involves enzyme actions such as unwinding DNA, building complementary strands, and sealing DNA fragments to ensure exact DNA copies for cell division.

Step-by-step explanation:

The step in DNA replication that is not accurate is: "A ribosome reads the genetic code to create specific strings of amino acids that will later form proteins." This step is not part of DNA replication but rather part of protein synthesis, specifically during translation. In contrast, DNA replication involves the following steps:

• Helicase unwinds the DNA and forms replication forks.
• Single-strand binding proteins prevent the strands from rewinding.
• Topoisomerase prevents supercoiling ahead of the replication fork.
• Primase synthesizes RNA primers.
• DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the growing DNA strand.
• DNA ligase seals the Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand.

Together, these steps ensure that each new cell will receive an exact copy of the DNA following cell division.