Answer :
Answer:
Synthesis of leading strand:
daughter strand elongate towards replication fork
only one primer is needed
made continuously
Synthesis of the lagging strand:
multiple primers needed
daughter strand elongates away from replication fork
made in segments
Synthesis of both:
synthesized in 5' to 3'
Explanation:
The replication of DNA involves the unwinding of the double helix structure by the helicase enzyme after which RNA primer binds to form a bubble known as the replication fork.
DNA can only be replicated in the 5' to 3' direction because the polymerase that is responsible for the elongation of new strands can only add nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction.
Hence, the leading strand is replicated continuously in this direction while the lagging strand is replicated discontinuously or fragments known as the okazaki fragments. The discontinuous replication of the lagging strand therefore requires different primers biding at multiple sites on the DNA strand.
Because of the nature of replication of the lagging strand, the elongation of the fragments moves away from the replication fork while that of the leading strand moves towards the replication fork.