Which type of enzyme catalyses the synthesis of DNA?Group of answer choicesDNA polymerasePrimaseHelicaseDNA ligase PreviousNext

Break Down the Problem

1. Identify the functions of each enzyme listed in the answer choices.
2. Determine which enzyme is specifically responsible for DNA synthesis.

Relevant Concepts

• DNA Polymerase: This enzyme synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a pre-existing chain, thus responsible for DNA replication.
• Primase: This enzyme synthesizes a short RNA primer that provides a starting point for DNA synthesis.
• Helicase: This enzyme unwinds the DNA double helix, allowing the replication machinery to access the DNA strands.
• DNA Ligase: This enzyme joins together DNA fragments, particularly on the lagging strand, but does not synthesize new DNA.

Analysis and Detail

The question specifically asks for the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA. Among the options, DNA polymerase is the primary enzyme responsible for this process. It reads the existing DNA strands and synthesizes new strands by adding complementary nucleotides.

Verify and Summarize

In summary, DNA Polymerase is the enzyme you are looking for as it directly catalyzes the formation of new DNA strands during replication.

Final Answer

DNA polymerase is the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA.