Answer
DNA is a double helical structure. It unwinds when the hydrogen bonds between bases break. An enzyme, DNA polymerase, binds to each single-stranded DNA and plays a role in the complementary base pairing. This results in the formation of two new DNA molecules.
Work Step by Step
DNA is a double helix structure due to the presence of complementary strands that tightly wrap around each other forming a helical coil. These two strands are anti-parallel.
DNA molecule unwinds and unzips as the hydrogen bonds between bases break, Adenine base has two hydrogen bonds with Thymine base, and Cytosine base has three hydrogen bonds with Guanine base. This breakage results in the formation of two daughter strands. In the nucleus there are free nucleotides, DNA polymerase binds to each single-stranded DNA and moves along the strand. This enzyme is responsible for complementary base pairing, Adenine pairs up with Thymine only and Cytosine pairs up with Guanine only. The hydrogen bonds between bases are re-formed. The DNA molecule has now been replicated, and thus two new DNA molecules are formed.
