Final answer:
The correct answer is c. DNA polymerase III, which is the bacterial enzyme essential for DNA strand formation during replication and is part of the large replication complex known as the replisome.
Step-by-step explanation:
In bacteria, DNA replication employs various proteins and enzymes, with DNA polymerase playing a critical role in the synthesis of new DNA strands. DNA polymerase III is the enzyme primarily required for DNA strand formation during replication. It forms part of a larger complex known as the replisome, serving as a significant replication machine. DNA polymerase III adds nucleotides to the 3'-OH group of the growing DNA chain, and the energy for this process comes from the hydrolysis of triphosphate nucleotides, similar to ATP. DNA polymerase I and DNA polymerase II are primarily involved in repair processes. Hence, the answer to the student's question is c. DNA polymerase III.