Final answer:
The replisome is the multi-protein complex responsible for DNA replication, consisting of proteins such as DNA polymerase, helicase, primase, and others. It acts at the replication fork to synthesize daughter DNA strands, initiated at specific origins of replication. Processivity and energy are provided by nucleotide triphosphates during DNA strand elongation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The large multi-protein complex that acts as the main workhorse of replication is known as the replisome. The replisome is a critical component at the replication fork, including various proteins such as clamp proteins, primase, helicase, DNA polymerase, and single-stranded binding proteins among others. This complex is responsible for the synthesis of the daughter DNA strands during DNA replication. Processive replication by DNA polymerase III ensures that nucleotides are added one by one to the growing DNA chain, complementary to the template strand. The energy for this process comes from the hydrolysis of the nucleotide triphosphates, which is similar to how ATP provides energy for various cellular processes.
DNA replication begins at specific sites called origins of replication, where proteins recognize and bind to start the process. DNA helicase then unwinds the DNA to create replication forks. Topoisomerase, including DNA gyrase in bacteria, mitigates the resulting supercoiling. Single-strand binding proteins stabilize the unwound DNA, and primase synthesizes RNA primers for DNA synthesis to commence. Leading and lagging strands are synthesized, with the latter formed via Okazaki fragments.