How Does Catalysis Affect the Efficiency of Replication?
Catalysis significantly enhances the efficiency of the replication process. Enzymatic action ensures that the replication fork progresses smoothly and swiftly. The catalytic properties of DNA polymerase allow for the rapid addition of nucleotides at a rate of about 50 base pairs per second in eukaryotes and up to 1000 base pairs per second in prokaryotes.