An enzyme that synthesizes short RNA primers needed to initiate DNA replication. DNA polymerase cannot start synthesis from scratch and requires these RNA primers as starting points for building new DNA strands.
From 'primer' (referring to the short RNA sequences that prime DNA synthesis) combined with the enzyme suffix '-ase.' The term was coined in the 1970s when scientists discovered that DNA replication requires these short RNA starting sequences.
Primase solves one of DNA replication's biggest puzzles - DNA polymerase is like a train that can only add cars to an existing train, never start a new one! Primase lays down the first few RNA 'cars' so DNA polymerase can take over and build the rest of the DNA train.
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