Before explaining what okazaki fragments mean, one must first understand how the process of DNA replication takes place. This occurs when the cell begins to receive signals that can be internal or external and that indicate that it must multiply, this causes the cell to manufacture a copy of its genetic material, thus originating the process of DNA replication.
In this sense, the okazaki fragments represent segments of DNA that are simplified in the replication chain. This stage occurs during the cell division process, where each chromosome belonging to the cell can be copied and give rise to two exactly the same cells. Technically, each of the chromosomes can replicate gradually, that is, in continuous phases. Each of these phases gives rise to the creation of small fractions of chromosomes. These fragments are what are called okazaki fragments.
The discovery of these fragments is given to the Japanese scientists Reiji Okazaki and his wife Tsuneko Okazaki, who during an investigation of the DNA replication process in a virus, managed to find these fragments.
These fragments are formed from a small fraction of RNA, known as a primer, which is simplified by an enzyme called "primase". DNA enzymes add nucleotides to the primer, which was previously synthesized to form an okazaki fragment. Subsequently, the RNA segment is eliminated through another enzyme, to later be replaced by DNA.
Por último, los fragmentos de okazaki se integran a la cadena de ADN en desarrollo, gracias al trabajo de una enzima denominada “ligaza”
