DNA helicase is the enzyme that unwinds DNA: it breaks the hydrogen bonds between the two strands of the double helix, separating them so each can be copied or repaired.

Quick Scoop: What does DNA helicase do?

  • It unwinds the DNA double helix into two single strands.
  • It uses energy from ATP (the cell’s “fuel”) to break hydrogen bonds between base pairs.
  • It creates a “replication fork,” the open Y‑shaped region where new DNA strands are built.
  • It is essential for:
    • DNA replication (copying DNA before cell division).
* DNA repair and recombination (fixing damage, shuffling DNA).

Think of DNA helicase like a zipper slider that runs along DNA and unzips the two strands so other enzymes can read and copy the genetic code.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.