In eukaryotes three DNA polymerases (Pols), α, δ, and ε, are tasked with bulk DNA synthesis of nascent strands during genome duplication. Most evidence supports a model where Pol α initiates DNA synthesis before Pol ε and Pol δ replicate the leading and lagging strands, respectively. However, a number of recent reports, enabled by advances in biochemical and genetic techniques, have highlighted emerging roles for Pol δ in all stages of leading-strand synthesis; initiation, elongation, and termination, as well as fork restart. By focusing on these studies, this review provides an updated perspective on the division of labor between the replicative polymerases during DNA replication.

在真核生物中，三个DNA聚合酶（Pols）α，δ和ε负责基因组复制过程中新生链的大量DNA合成。大多数证据支持以下模型：Polα在Polε和Polδ分别复制前导链和滞后链之前启动DNA合成。然而，由于生化和遗传技术的进步，最近的许多报告都强调了Polδ在前导链合成的所有阶段中的新兴作用。起始，延伸和终止，以及分叉重新启动。通过侧重于这些研究，本综述提供了有关DNA复制过程中复制型聚合酶之间分工的最新观点。