Enzymes involved in DNA replication
Although the enzymes most involved in DNA replication are DNA polymerases, which catalyze the formation of phosphodiester bonds between deoxyribonucleotides, adding the nucleotide complementary to that of the template chain. They need a DNA chain that serves as a template to which they will add the corresponding nucleotides, always leaving the free 3'- OH group to which more deoxyribonucleotides will be added.
The DNA polymerases of prokaryotes are different from those of eukaryotes:
The DNA polymerases from prokaryotes are:
- DNA polymerase I
- Remove the primer RNA.
- Repair errors in DNA synthesis.
- Fill the gap occupied by ribonucleotides in the primer RNA with deoxyribonucleotides.
- DNA polymerase II
- Repair small breaks in DNA strands (correcting these errors).
- DNA polymerase III
- Add the appropriate deoxyribonucleotide, complementary to that of the chain that serves as a template, in the 5'→3' direction.