The enzyme that adds nucleotides to a growing DNA strand in the 5 prime to 3 prime direction.
It adds nucleotides to a free 3' OH and needs a primer. It checks each base pair and has 3' to 5' exonuclease activity to remove mistakes (proofreading). E. coli has five DNA polymerases; Pol III replicates and Pol I removes primers. Eukaryotes use Pol alpha, delta and epsilon.
Polymerases can only synthesise 5' to 3'.
The enzyme that adds nucleotides to a growing DNA strand in the 5 prime to 3 prime direction.
DNA Polymerase is one of the 52 topics in Molecular Biology. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include RNA Polymerase, Leading and Lagging Strands, Okazaki Fragments.
Taq polymerase is heat stable and used in PCR.
Work through the Beginner topics in Molecular Biology first, such as Central Dogma, DNA Replication, Base Pairing, then return to DNA Polymerase. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to DNA Polymerase are RNA Polymerase, Leading and Lagging Strands, Okazaki Fragments, Primase and RNA Primer. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for DNA Polymerase. To practise the whole of Molecular Biology, use the Molecular Biology quiz.
DNA Polymerase: The enzyme that adds nucleotides to a growing DNA strand in the 5 prime to 3 prime direction. RNA Polymerase: The enzyme that builds an RNA strand complementary to the template DNA during transcription. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with RNA Polymerase and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Molecular Biology quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
The enzyme that builds an RNA strand complementary to the template DNA during transcription.
🧫 Molecular BiologyThe leading strand is made continuously, while the lagging strand is made in short Okazaki fragments.
🧫 Molecular BiologyShort DNA segments synthesised discontinuously on the lagging strand and joined by DNA ligase.
🧫 Molecular BiologyPrimase lays down a short RNA primer that gives DNA polymerase a starting 3 prime end.
🧫 Molecular Biology