DNA replication is a complex biological process that ensures the accurate duplication of genetic information during cell division. It involves the synthesis of two identical copies of a DNA molecule, called daughter strands, from a single parent DNA molecule, known as the template or parental strand.
Here is a simplified step-by-step explanation of DNA replication:
1. Initiation: The process begins with the unwinding of the double helix structure of the DNA molecule by an enzyme called helicase. This forms a replication fork, where the two strands of the parental DNA separate.
2. Priming: An enzyme called primase synthesizes short RNA molecules called primers, which attach to the separated DNA strands and provide a starting point for DNA synthesis.
3. Elongation: DNA polymerase, the primary enzyme involved in replication, catalyzes the addition of nucleotides to the growing daughter strands. It can only add nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction (new nucleotides join the growing chain at the 3' end), so the DNA strands are synthesized in opposite directions.
4. Leading Strand Synthesis: One daughter strand, referred to as the leading strand, is synthesized continuously in the direction of the replication fork. As the helicase continues to unwind the DNA strand, DNA polymerase works in a continuous manner, continuously adding nucleotides to the growing leading strand.
5. Lagging Strand Synthesis: The other daughter strand, called the lagging strand, is synthesized discontinuously in the opposite direction (away from the replication fork). It is synthesized in small fragments called Okazaki fragments. Primase generates new RNA primers for each Okazaki fragment as it is exposed. DNA polymerase then elongates and joins the fragments, forming a continuous strand.
6. Okazaki Fragment Processing: RNA primers are eventually removed by special enzymes, and the gaps are filled with DNA nucleotides by the DNA polymerase. These newly synthesized fragments are then joined together by another enzyme, DNA ligase, creating a complete and continuous daughter strand.
7. Termination: The replication process continues until the entire parental DNA molecule is replicated. At this point, the replication forks meet and fuse, and the process terminates, resulting in two identical double-stranded DNA molecules.
Overall, DNA replication is a highly accurate and tightly regulated process that allows cells to faithfully copy their genetic material, ensuring the transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next.