Final answer:
RNA primase adds a single primer on the leading strand for continuous synthesis and multiple primers on the lagging strand for discontinuous synthesis. The sliding clamp keeps DNA polymerase steady, and DNA ligase finalizes replication by sealing nicks.
Step-by-step explanation:
In DNA replication, RNA primase plays a crucial role in synthesizing primers that enable the DNA polymerase to start replication on both the leading and lagging strands. On the leading strand, RNA primase will place a single primer at the origin of the replication bubble allowing for continuous synthesis in the 5' to 3' direction towards the replication fork. In contrast, the lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously, so RNA primase must add a new primer at the beginning of each Okazaki fragment, making replication in short spurts in a direction away from the replication fork.
The sliding clamp, another important protein in this process, holds the DNA polymerase in place ensuring efficient and accurate replication. Once synthesis proceeds, DNA pol I replaces RNA primers with DNA nucleotides, and DNA ligase seals the nicks created by the removal of primers, thereby finalizing the replication process.