DNA polymerase III carries out leading and lagging strand synthesis in prokaryotes. How many enzymes accomplish this task in eukaryotes (not counting primer creation)?
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question

DNA polymerase III carries out leading and lagging strand synthesis in prokaryotes. How many enzymes accomplish this task in eukaryotes (not counting primer creation)?
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In eukaryotes, DNA polymerase alpha (Pol alpha) initiates DNA synthesis and completes the synthesis of the RNA primer on both the leading and lagging strands. DNA polymerase delta (Pol delta) extends the leading strand and the Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand, while DNA polymerase epsilon (Pol epsilon) participates in DNA repair and is involved in DNA replication in the nucleus. Therefore, two enzymes (Pol delta and Pol epsilon) work together to accomplish this task in eukaryotes.

DNA Polymerase III Carries Out Leading and Lagging Strand Synthesis