Final answer:
DNA replication in eukaryotes is slower due to their larger and more complex genomes, the need for more enzymes and coordination, and challenges in replicating linear chromosome ends.
Step-by-step explanation:
Eukaryotic genomic complexity is one significant reason why DNA replication is slower in eukaryotes compared to prokaryotes. Eukaryotes have much larger and more complex genomes, with humans having about 3 billion base pairs per haploid set of chromosomes. Furthermore, eukaryotic cells have multiple origins of replication, which allows replication to start at many points along the chromosome. However, the overall rate of nucleotide addition is much slower: approximately 100 nucleotides per second, which is 10 times slower than in prokaryotic cells.
The replication machinery in eukaryotes is more complex, with 14 different DNA polymerases involved in various replication processes compared to the five polymerases in prokaryotes. This added complexity necessitates more regulation and coordination, which can slow down the replication process. Moreover, eukaryotes also have additional challenges like replicating the ends of their linear chromosomes, for which they use a special enzyme called telomerase — absent in prokaryotes.
In summary, the slower rate of eukaryotic DNA replication can be attributed to the intricate nature of eukaryotic genomes, the extensive use of different enzymes and proteins, and the need to replicate the ends of linear chromosomes, a process that involves telomerase.