Question

An enzyme called ______________ synthesizes short stretches (10-12 nucleotides long) of RNA nucleotides or primers, which provide a 3'-OH group to which DNA polymerases can attach DNA nucleotides.

A) DNA ligase
B) DNA helicase
C) RNA polymerase
D) DNA primase

Answer 1

Option D). The enzyme that synthesizes short stretches of RNA nucleotides to initiate DNA synthesis is DNA primase.

Step-by-step explanation:

DNA primase (D) is the enzyme that creates primers, which are brief segments of RNA nucleotides that provide a 3'-OH group for DNA polymerases to attach DNA nucleotides to. Because they serve as starting sites for DNA polymerases, which extend these primers and add complementary DNA nucleotides alongside the template DNA strand, these RNA primers are essential for starting the synthesis of DNA. Hence, Option D) is the correct answer.