What is the role of primase in DNA synthesis?

Primase plays a crucial role in DNA synthesis by producing an RNA fragment known as a primer. This primer is essential because DNA polymerases, the enzymes that synthesize new DNA strands, cannot initiate the synthesis of a new strand on their own. They can only add nucleotides to an existing strand of nucleic acids.

The RNA primer created by primase provides a free 3' hydroxyl group that DNA polymerase can extend from, allowing for the addition of DNA nucleotides to create a new strand complementary to the template strand. This process is particularly important on the lagging strand, where multiple primers are needed to create short DNA fragments, known as Okazaki fragments, that are later joined together.

In contrast, options that mention catalyzing the synthesis of glucose or correcting errors during DNA replication do not describe primase's function, as these activities are associated with different biological processes and enzymes. Additionally, while primase is involved in the initiation of DNA synthesis, it does not directly initiate gene transcription; this role is fulfilled by RNA polymerase, which recognizes specific promoter sequences in DNA.