What are the steps of DNA replication?

DNA replication occurs in several key steps: 1) Initiation – Replication begins at specific regions of the DNA called origins of replication. Helicase unwinds the DNA, creating two single-stranded templates. 2) Primer synthesis – The enzyme primase synthesizes short RNA primers on both strands to provide a starting point for DNA synthesis. 3) Elongation – DNA polymerase binds to the primer-template junction and begins adding complementary nucleotides to the growing DNA strand. On the leading strand, replication is continuous, while on the lagging strand, it occurs in short segments called Okazaki fragments. 4) Joining of Okazaki fragments – On the lagging strand, the enzyme DNA ligase joins the Okazaki fragments by sealing the phosphodiester bonds between them, forming a continuous strand. 5) Termination – Once the entire DNA molecule is replicated, the process concludes, and the two new DNA molecules are completed, each consisting of one original and one new strand.