Final answer:
The process of DNA replication involves the sliding clamp and clamp loader for holding DNA polymerase in place on the DNA. The leading strand is synthesized continuously, while the lagging strand is synthesized in segments with primers, later sealed by DNA ligase. The tau subunits help maintain the structure of the polymerase complex for simultaneous replication of both strands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of the question pertains to the mechanism of DNA replication, which is a fundamental process in cellular biology where a cell copies its DNA before cell division. The clamp loader is a protein complex responsible for loading the sliding clamp onto DNA. This sliding clamp then firmly holds DNA polymerase in place, ensuring efficient synthesis of the new DNA strands. The replication process involves synthesis in two types of strands; the leading strand is synthesized continuously, whereas the lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously in short Okazaki fragments, each requiring a new RNA primer. Primase synthesizes these primers, and DNA ligase seals the nicks between Okazaki fragments after RNA primer removal, creating a continuous DNA strand.
During replication, topoisomerase prevents overwinding by creating temporary nicks in the DNA double helix, while RNA primers used for initiation of DNA synthesis are later removed and replaced by DNA nucleotides. In eukaryotic replication, DNA polymerase δ (pol δ) typically synthesizes the leading strand, and polymerase ε (pol ε) synthesizes the lagging strand. Tau subunits are part of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme in prokaryotes that help in maintaining the structure of the polymerase dimer, enabling concurrent synthesis of both strands.