Which enzyme is responsible for unwrapping the double helix of DNA?

Helicase is the enzyme that unwinds and unzips the double helix of DNA during the processes of DNA replication and transcription. It operates by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs, allowing the two strands of the DNA to separate. This is a crucial step because the unwound strands serve as templates for the synthesis of new DNA strands, enabling accurate replication of the genetic material.

In contrast, DNA polymerase is involved in the synthesis of new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a growing DNA chain but does not directly unwind the DNA. Primase synthesizes short RNA primers needed for DNA synthesis and also does not function in unwinding DNA. Ligase is responsible for joining Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand during replication but is not involved in the unwinding process either. Thus, helicase plays a unique and essential role in initiating the replication process by facilitating the unwrapping of the DNA double helix.