Final answer:
The protein with helicase activity that binds to oriC and precedes the replisome at the replication fork during DNA replication is known as helicase. This enzyme unwinds DNA to allow the replication machinery to synthesize new strands.
Step-by-step explanation:
Of the six proteins that bind to oriC, the one with helicase activity that precedes the replisome at the replication fork during the course of DNA replication is known as helicase. This enzyme plays a critical role in unwinding the DNA by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous base pairs. The process requires ATP hydrolysis and creates a structure known as a replication fork, which is propagated bidirectionally. Single-strand binding proteins coat the unwound DNA to prevent it from re-associating into a double helix. Therefore, helicase is the protein responsible for separating the DNA strands at the origin of replication, which is crucial for replication to begin.