Question

Can somebody plz explain discontinuous replication of DNA to me in simple and clear language,in detail?

I'd be very grateful.

Answer 1

DNA is synthesised from 5' to 3' direction. DNA strand is antiparallel to each other. You can imagine one DNA polymerase is moving upward to make one strand and the other DNA polymerase is moving downwards to make the other strand. However, DNA polymerase cannot start a new DNA chain because it cannot bind to single stranded DNA. So, DNA primase adds RNA primers so that DNA polymerase can bind and add DNA nucleotide. DNA primase is associated with the polymerase that make the leading strand but it also will not stray too far from the lagging strand.

You imagine if the polymerase that make leading strand is moving upward, the other polymerase must be moving downward. The DNA primase on the lagging strands adds a few bases of RNA nucleotide (so you imagine it move downward). Since, DNA primase is associated with the polymerase that make the leading strand, after adding few bases of RNA on the lagging strand, the primase move some other location higher than its previous location.
i hope this helps. correct me if i'm wrong.