Okazaki fragments are short DNA segments synthesized on which strand of the replication fork?

Okazaki fragments are short DNA segments synthesized on which strand of the replication fork?

• A. Lagging strand
• B. Leading strand
• C. Both strands
• D. Telomeres

Answer: (A)

DNA replication operates with two antiparallel template strands, and DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction. As the fork advances, one strand is copied continuously toward the fork—the leading strand. The other template runs in the opposite orientation, so synthesis must occur in short, separate segments that start at RNA primers—these are Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand. After the fragments are synthesized, the primers are removed and replaced with DNA, and the fragments are joined by ligase to create a continuous strand. Telomeres are not involved in this fragment formation. So, Okazaki fragments are formed on the lagging strand.

DNA replication operates with two antiparallel template strands, and DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction. As the fork advances, one strand is copied continuously toward the fork—the leading strand. The other template runs in the opposite orientation, so synthesis must occur in short, separate segments that start at RNA primers—these are Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand. After the fragments are synthesized, the primers are removed and replaced with DNA, and the fragments are joined by ligase to create a continuous strand. Telomeres are not involved in this fragment formation. So, Okazaki fragments are formed on the lagging strand.