Biology / Unit 6 Bio 1233 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Eukaryotic Replication's Multiple Origins and Polymerases
Captions available
The idea
A eukaryotic chromosome replicates from many origins at once, and uses several distinct DNA polymerases rather than the few found in prokaryotes.
In practice
A single human chromosome opens hundreds of replication bubbles simultaneously, each with its own forks, finishing far faster than one origin could.
Where people slip
Multiple origins solve a length problem, not a fidelity problem — proofreading is what keeps eukaryotic replication accurate.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Biology