<P> DNA polymerase III synthesizes base pairs at a rate of around 1000 nucleotides per second . DNA Pol III activity begins after strand separation at the origin of replication . Because DNA synthesis cannot start de novo, an RNA primer, complementary to part of the single - stranded DNA, is synthesized by primase (an RNA polymerase): </P> <P> ("!" for RNA,' "$" for DNA, "*" for polymerase) </P> <P> As replication progresses and the replisome moves forward, DNA polymerase III arrives at the RNA primer and begins replicating the DNA, adding onto the 3'OH of the primer: </P> <P> DNA polymerase III will then synthesize a continuous or discontinuous strand of DNA, depending if this is occurring on the leading or lagging strand (Okazaki fragment) of the DNA . DNA polymerase III has a high processivity and therefore, synthesizes DNA very quickly . This high processivity is due in part to the β - clamps that "hold" onto the DNA strands . </P>

Dna polymerase iii catalyzes what type of bond