Final answer:
The rate of DNA replication is 10-fold faster in bacteria compared to eukaryotes due to several factors such as the simpler genome, smaller size, single origin of replication, and bidirectional replication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of DNA replication is 10-fold faster in bacteria compared to eukaryotes due to several factors.
Firstly, bacteria have a simpler genome with a smaller size, which allows for faster replication. E. coli, for example, has 4.6 million base pairs in a single circular chromosome, which can be replicated in approximately 42 minutes.
Secondly, bacteria have a single origin of replication, while eukaryotes have multiple origins of replication. This means that bacteria can start replication from a single site and proceed bidirectionally, adding approximately 1000 nucleotides per second. In contrast, eukaryotes have multiple sites of origin with a slower rate of replication of around 100 nucleotides per second.