Question

What property of the DNA molecule explains the necessity for Okazaki fragments? DNA is antiparallel. DNA is a linear molecule. DNA is negatively charged. DNA is wound around histones.

Answer 1

Answer:DNA is antiparallel.

Explanation: DNA is a double stranded helix in which the two strands are antiparallel. Being antiparallel means that as one strand runs from 5'->3' direction, the other strand runs from 3'->5' direction. During DNA each of the two strands serves as a template for a new complementary strand. The synthesis of a new DNA strand is always in the 5'->3' direction, therefore one strand is synthesized continuously in the direction of the replication fork while the other strand is synthesized discontinuously in the direction opposite to the replication fork in short fragments called the Okazaki fragments. The strand that is synthesized continuously is called the leading strand while the strand that is synthesized discontinuously in Okazaki fragments is called the lagging strand.