Final answer:
DNA replication is the process not restricted by low levels of ATP as it uses the potential energy in nucleotide triphosphates for bonding, rather than relying directly on ATP like muscle contraction, active transport, and protein synthesis do.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that would not be restricted by low levels of ATP is DNA replication. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule that stores and transfers energy within cells and is essential for various cellular processes like muscle contraction, active transport, and protein synthesis. DNA replication requires nucleotides with three phosphate groups (like ATP), but the energy for the bonding process comes from the potential energy stored in the nucleotide triphosphates that are incorporated into the growing DNA strand and does not directly restrict this process.
Conversely, muscle contraction requires ATP for myosin to detach from actin and allow for cross-bridge cycling. Active transport depends on ATP to move molecules against their gradient, and protein synthesis requires ATP in the process of binding tRNA and peptide chain elongation on the ribosome.