DNA contains the template needed to copy itself, but it has no catalytic activity in cells. What catalyzes the formation of phosphodiester bonds between adjacent nucleotides in the DNA polymer being formed during DNA replication?

DNA polymerases

Explanation:

The formation of a phosphodiester bond between adjacent nucleotides is catalyzed by the DNA polymerases. They do this efficiently only if the incoming base on the incoming nucleoside triphosphate is complementary to the base on the template strand and can bind efficiently.

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genetic variation can be caused by mutation (which can create entirely new alleles in a population), random mating, random fertilization, and recombination between homologous chromosomes during meiosis (which reshuffles alleles within an organism's offspring).