The action of helicase creates unwound DNA strands by separating the two strands of the DNA double helix.
During DNA replication, helicase plays a crucial role by moving along the DNA molecule and breaking the hydrogen bonds between the nucleotide bases. This unwinding process results in two single-stranded DNA templates that serve as a foundation for new strands to be synthesized. As helicase progresses, it creates a replication fork where the double-stranded DNA splits into two single strands, allowing the replication machinery to access the individual templates.
In summary, helicase creates the necessary single-stranded DNA templates essential for accurate and efficient DNA replication, ensuring that genetic information is copied correctly for cell division.