Final answer:
The concept that describes replication proceeding in both directions from the initiation point is bidirectional replication. This process creates two replication forks moving away from the origin, facilitating efficient DNA duplication, and relates to semi-conservative and discontinuous replication mechanisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that means replication occurs in both directions along the DNA from the point of initiation is B) Bidirectional replication. In the context of DNA replication, bidirectional refers to the process where replication begins at a certain point on the DNA molecule, known as the origin of replication, and proceeds in two opposite directions. This process is crucial for efficient and faster DNA replication, creating two replication forks that move away from the origin.
Additionally, DNA replication is semi-conservative, meaning one strand from the parent DNA is conserved in each new DNA molecule, paired with a newly synthesized complementary strand. Understanding the discontinuous nature of DNA replication relates to how the lagging strand is synthesized in short stretches called Okazaki fragments, as opposed to the continuous synthesis of the leading strand.