Polymerase is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in DNA replication. It is responsible for synthesizing new strands of nucleic acids, such as RNA or DNA, by adding complementary nucleotides to an existing template strand. The process involves unwinding the double-stranded DNA and using one of the parental strands as a guide to create a new copy. Polymerase is essential for cell division and the transmission of genetic information from one generation to another.