Question

In bacterial DNA replication, primer removal and gap filling are accomplished by

-DNA polymerase I
-DNA polymerase II
-DNA polymerase III
-DNA primase
-DNA ligase"

Answer 1

In bacterial DNA replication, DNA polymerase I is responsible for both removing primers and filling the gaps with DNA nucleotides, whereas DNA ligase seals the final gaps between Okazaki fragments.

Step-by-step explanation:

In bacterial DNA replication, primer removal is carried out by DNA polymerase I, which possesses exonuclease activity to excise RNA primers. After the primers are removed, DNA polymerase I also fills in the resultant gaps with DNA nucleotides by adding deoxyribonucleotides (dNTPs) to the 3'-OH end. Finally, the gaps between the new DNA fragments, known as Okazaki fragments, are sealed by DNA ligase, forming the necessary phosphodiester bonds to create a continuous DNA strand. It is important to note that while DNA polymerase III is responsible for the bulk of DNA synthesis in bacteria, DNA polymerase I and II are mainly involved in repair mechanisms.