DNA Replication

Question 1

Which enzyme unzips the double helix of DNA?

Answer 1

Helicase (“helix-ase”)

Question 2

Which enzyme sets up a “starting block” of RNA so that each DNA strand can be replicated?

Answer 2

RNA primase (‘lays a primer”)

Question 3

Which enzyme creates the matching pairs of nucleotides that make up the new DNA strands?

Answer 3

DNA polymerase (poly=many, “builds many pairs”

Question 4

Which enzyme reviews the new strand and removes the RNA uracil to complete the new strand?

Answer 4

DNA ligase (ligase sounds like ligament, binds the strand together)

Question 5

What’s different about the leading strand vs. the lagging, “stubborn” strand?

Answer 5

It has to be replicated backwards because DNA polymerase can only work in one direction.