= Replisome
A <replisome> is the coordinated molecular machinery operating at a <replication fork>. It couples <DNA> unwinding with primer production and <DNA> synthesis. A <DNA polymerase> extends a paired strand end, while a helicase separates the template strands and other components stabilize or organize the reaction. <Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th edition by Bruce Alberts and others>[Chapter 5, DNA Replication Mechanisms: replication-fork proteins and coordinated synthesis]{ref}
The templates are antiparallel, but <DNA> polymerization proceeds in one chemical direction. Leading-strand synthesis can follow fork movement continuously, while lagging-strand synthesis uses successive <Okazaki fragments> that are processed and joined. The resulting asymmetry is a constraint on coordination, not a requirement for two chemically opposite polymerization reactions. Replisome composition and organization differ among <bacteria>, eukaryotes and experimental systems.
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