What is the function of DNA polymerase during replication?

What is the function of DNA polymerase during replication?

• A. It polymerizes nucleotides to produce DNA
• B. It unwinds DNA
• C. It ligates DNA fragments
• D. It translates RNA

Answer: (A)

During DNA replication, DNA polymerase is the enzyme that builds new DNA by adding nucleotides to a growing strand. It reads the template strand and, starting from a primer, extends the new strand in the 5' to 3' direction, forming phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides. Its proofreading activity helps catch mistakes, increasing fidelity of replication. Other activities in replication are handled by different enzymes: unwinding the double helix is done by helicase, joining short DNA fragments on the lagging strand is done by ligase, and translating RNA into protein occurs during translation, not replication.

During DNA replication, DNA polymerase is the enzyme that builds new DNA by adding nucleotides to a growing strand. It reads the template strand and, starting from a primer, extends the new strand in the 5' to 3' direction, forming phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides. Its proofreading activity helps catch mistakes, increasing fidelity of replication.

Other activities in replication are handled by different enzymes: unwinding the double helix is done by helicase, joining short DNA fragments on the lagging strand is done by ligase, and translating RNA into protein occurs during translation, not replication.