In order to break the hydrogen bonds connecting complementary base pairs, (G&C, T&A) in a double helix DNA strand, energy is required. In order to overcome this energy barrier there are enzymes involved in the process to lower the activation energy required. An enzyme called DNA helicase is involved in breaking these hydrogen bonds and unwinding the DNA strand. DNA polymerase enzyme reads along the DNA strand pairing nucleotides to the bases present on the original strand of DNA, hence why replication is described as a semi-conservative process. DNA ligase is an enzyme involved in catalysing the reaction between two DNA strands to form a phosphodiester bond and complete the replication process.