Which statement about Okazaki fragments is true?
A) They occur because DNA polymerase operates in only one direction along a strand of DNA.
B) They act as a primer that initiates DNA replication.
C) If they did not exist, the ends of chromosomes would get shorter with every replication.
D) It they did not exist, bases would pair with their complementary bases.
E) They reduce the mutation rate during DNA replication.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Okazaki fragments are short, discontinuous pieces of DNA that are synthesized on the lagging strand during DNA replication. They are necessary because DNA synthesis can only proceed in the 5' to 3' direction, which causes problems for the replication of the lagging strand, which is oriented 3' to 5' with respect to the replication fork. Therefore, DNA must be synthesized in short, Okazaki fragments that are later joined together by DNA ligase to form a continuous strand.

Which Statement About Okazaki Fragments Is True