The strand of DNA that grows continuously as the replication fork opens up is known as the _______ strand.
A) leading
B) lagging
C) primer
D) template
E) Okazaki

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The leading strand is synthesized continuously in the 5' to 3' direction as the replication fork opens up, and it serves as the template for the synthesis of the complementary strand. The lagging strand, on the other hand, is synthesized discontinuously in the opposite direction, resulting in the formation of short Okazaki fragments that are later joined together by DNA ligase. The primer is a short RNA sequence that provides the initial 3' end for DNA synthesis, and the template strand is the one that is used as a template for the synthesis of the complementary strand.

The Strand of DNA That Grows Continuously as the Replication