During DNA replication, which enzyme is involved in unwinding the parental DNA double helix?

Question

Biology

Azul

6 March, 20:57

During DNA replication, which enzyme is involved in unwinding the parental DNA double helix?

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Answers (1)

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Patch · Answer 1

During DNA replication, the enzyme DNA helicase is involved in unwinding the parental DNA double helix.

Explanation:

DNA replication is the process in which DNA is copied during the cell division cycle. During replication, the complementary strands of the original double helix DNA are separated and one of the two strands in the original molecule is saved in the new DNA molecule. Thus the new DNA molecule is made of an original strand and a newly synthesized strand. DNA has four nitrogenous bases called adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G). During DNA replication, an enzyme known as DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonding between the base pairs, adenine with thymine and cytosine with guanine. This unwinds the parental DNA double helix into two separate strands and thus creates a Y shaped replication fork, where the template for replication begins.