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DNA polymerase

Definition

The enzyme that synthesises new DNA by adding deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates complementary to the template strand. In humans, polymerase delta copies the lagging strand and polymerase epsilon copies the leading strand. Both carry a 3-prime to 5-prime exonuclease proofreading domain.

Related terms

Frameshift mutation
A change in the reading frame of a coding sequence caused by an insertion or deletion of a number of nucleotides that...
Okazaki fragment
A short segment of DNA (100 to 200 nucleotides in eukaryotes) synthesised on the lagging template strand in the 5-prime to 3-prime...
Point mutation
A change in a single nucleotide in the DNA sequence. A transition substitutes one purine for another or one pyrimidine for another...
Semi-conservative replication
The mode of DNA copying in which each daughter double helix retains one parental strand and acquires one newly synthesised strand, confirmed...
Short tandem repeat (STR) slippage
Replication slippage at a repetitive locus where the template and nascent strands temporarily misalign. If the nascent strand slips forward, one repeat...

Explained in

  • DNA Replication and MutationThe enzyme that synthesises new DNA by adding deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates complementary to the template strand. In humans, polymerase delta copies the la...

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