What is the process of making a copy of DNA?

• A. DNA replication
• B. Transcription
• C. Translation
• D. Central Dogma

Answer: (A)

DNA replication is the process by which a cell copies its entire genome so each daughter cell gets an identical set of genetic material. The double helix unwinds, and each strand serves as a template for a new complementary strand. Enzymes like helicase separate the strands, primase lays down RNA primers, and DNA polymerases add matching nucleotides to synthesize the new strands. One strand (the leading strand) is built continuously, while the other (the lagging strand) is made in short Okazaki fragments that are later joined. The result is semiconservative replication: each new DNA molecule has one original strand and one newly made strand, preserving information with high fidelity through proofreading. Transcription creates RNA from DNA, translation builds proteins from RNA, and the Central Dogma describes that flow of information—not the copying of DNA itself. So the copy-making process is DNA replication.