Biology / Bio 1221 · Atom · ~20 seconds
DNA Polymerase's 5'-to-3' Directionality
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DNA polymerase adds new nucleotides only to a primer's or growing strand's 3' end, so synthesis always proceeds in the 5'-to-3' direction.
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DNA polymerase extends an existing 3'-OH end one nucleotide at a time, never building a new strand from its 5' end.
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This one-directional restriction, not any other property of the enzyme, forces the leading and lagging strands to synthesize differently.