DNA polymerases were named for their function of catalysing DNA replication, a process that is necessary for growth and propagation of life. DNA involving Watson–Crick base-pairing can be synthesized with high fidelity, the structural and mechanistic origins of which have been investigated for many decades. Despite this, new chemical insights continue to be uncovered, including recent findings that may explain newly discovered functions for many DNA polymerases in DNA repair and mutation. Some of these reactions involve non-Watson–Crick base-pairing. In addition, certain DNA polymerases have been engineered for a wide variety of applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. This Review describes the molecular basis for the diverse and contrasting functions of different DNA polymerases, providing an up-to-date understanding of how these tasks are accomplished and the means by which we can benefit from them.

DNA聚合酶因其催化DNA复制的功能而得名，这是生命生长和繁殖所必需的过程。涉及沃森-克里克碱基配对的DNA可以高保真度合成，其结构和机制起源已被研究了数十年。尽管如此，仍继续发现新的化学见解，包括最近的发现，这些发现可能解释了新发现的许多DNA聚合酶在DNA修复和突变中的功能。其中一些反应涉及非沃森-克里克碱基配对。另外，某些DNA聚合酶已经被工程化以用于生物技术和生物医学中的多种应用。这篇综述描述了不同DNA聚合酶具有多种不同功能的分子基础，