lagging strand

Introduction

All known DNA polymerases synthesize DNA in the 5' to 3' direction. Thus one of the 2 strands at the DNA replication fork must be synthesized in a discontinuous fashion or in segments. These segments called Okazaki fragments are ligated at the replication fork to form a continuous strand which appears to grow in the 3' to 5' direction. This strand is called the lagging strand.

More general terms

• biochemistry

Additional terms

• leading strand