Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
DNA polymerase is an enzyme responsible for synthesizing a new strand of DNA during DNA replication. It adds nucleotides to the growing DNA chain using the existing strand as a template.
Related terms
Primer: A short segment of RNA that serves as a starting point for DNA synthesis by providing a free 3' end.
Replication fork: The Y-shaped region where parental strands of DNA are unwound and new strands are synthesized during replication.
Leading strand: The newly synthesized DNA strand that is continuously built in the 5' to 3' direction.