Question

Copies of the enzyme DNA polymerase work together to synthesize DNA. Why are two copies of the enzyme necessary at each replication fork?

O A One copy breaks apart the original DNA molecule, and the other copy synthesizes two complementary strands.
O
B. One copy synthesizes two complementary strands, and the second copy edits or corrects the new strands if necessary.
O
C. Each copy attaches to one strand, and each synthesizes a complementary strand,
O
D. Both copies attach to the same strand, where they work together to synthesize the complementary strand.

Answer 1

Answer:C). Each copy attaches to one strand, and each synthesizes a complementary strand,

Explanation: DNA polymerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of complementary strands of DNA during replication. A replication fork is a point on the parental DNA where the double stranded DNA is being unwound and the separated strands are replicated. During replication, two new complementary strands are synthesized: the leading or the continuous strand and the lagging or discontinuous strand. The lagging strand is synthesized in short fragments called the Okazaki fragments. The events that occur at the replication fork is coordinated by a DNA polymerase dimer (an enzyme complex containing two units of DNA polymerase). One unit of DNA polymerase binds to one strand of parent DNA and catalyzes the synthesis of the continuous/leading strand, a strand in which 5'->3' synthesis proceeds in the same direction as the replication fork while the other unit binds to the other strand and catalyzes the synthesis of the discontinuous/ lagging strand, a strand in which the 5'->3' synthesis proceeds in opposite direction to the direction of the replication fork.