What is the process of DNA replication?
- The first step is the area of DNA to be replicated is 'unzipped' by DNA helicase. 2) The separation of the two strands forms a replication fork. 3) The strand that is oriented in the 3' to 5' direction is called the leading strand (towards the replication fork). The other strand is the lagging strand.They are replicated differently.Leading strand:4) A short piece of RNA (called a primer) binds to the end of the leading strand. This acts as the starting point for DNA synthesis. 5) DNA polymerase binds to the leading strand and then ‘walks’ along it, adding new complementary nucleotide bases to the strand of DNA in the 5’ to 3’ direction.This sort of replication is called continuous.
