Final answer:
Replication requires helicase to unwind DNA strands at the origin of replication, using the energy provided by ATP hydrolysis. Topoisomerase and single-strand binding proteins are also essential in progressing the replication process and protecting the DNA strands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of replication requires a helicase to separate the strands of DNA. This is done at the origin of replication where helicase unwinds the DNA. ATP hydrolysis provides the energy needed for the helicase to break the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs of the DNA strands.
As replication proceeds, enzymes such as topoisomerase and single-strand binding proteins also play vital roles in the process. Topoisomerase works by breaking and reforming the DNA's phosphate backbone ahead of the replication fork to relieve the supercoiling pressure. Single-strand binding proteins bind to the single-stranded DNA to prevent it from rewinding into a double helix. If helicase is mutated, the DNA strands cannot be separated, halting replication at the beginning.