Okazaki fragment

[Ajay]

I have some doubts in the formation of Okazaki fragments. Can anyone explain the process ?

[sdekivit]

read a book about molecular biology. Remeber the DNA can only be synthesized in the 5' --> 3' direction, because DNA-polymerase needs a free 3'-OH group in order to elongate the DNA-strand.

[CRbomber650]

yes, just like sdekivit said, dna can only be synthesized in the 5' to 3' direction. Since a DNA strand consists of two complementary/antiparallel strands, they both have to be replicated. On one 'template strand', the new strand that is being copied can elongate continuously without breaks, because the DNA is unzipping in the 5 to 3 direction and the dna polymerase is also adding the nucleic acids in that direction.
on the other template strand, however, the dna polymerase can only add appropriate nucleic acids in chunks or segments, since the dna is unzipping in the opposite direction as dna polymerase is adding. So what happens is that the polymerase has to "wait" until it has enough room to create a segment of a nucleic acid chain. These segments of the lagging strand are called Okazaki fragments.

Hope I could help