Final answer:
The lagging strand synthesis during DNA replication requires a break in the nucleotide strand, provided by RNA primers synthesized by RNA primase, to start the addition of new nucleotides.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of replication that requires a break in the nucleotide strand to get started is the synthesis of the lagging strand during DNA replication. The lagging strand is synthesized in short stretches known as Okazaki fragments, which are initiated by RNA primers synthesized by the enzyme RNA primase. These primers provide the free 3'-OH group necessary for DNA polymerase to begin adding nucleotides.
During DNA replication, helicase unwinds the DNA at the origin of replication, and primase adds RNA primers to the lagging strand. DNA polymerase can then extend these primers, adding DNA nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction. On the leading strand, replication occurs continuously without the need for primers after the initial start.
Therefore, in the context of DNA replication, the addition of a primer to provide a starting point for nucleotide addition occurs only on the lagging strand, where each of the Okazaki fragments begins with an RNA primer. This step is crucial to bypass the limitation that DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides to an existing 3'-OH group.