What is the primary function of single-stranded binding proteins in DNA replication?

The primary function of single-stranded binding proteins (SSBs) during DNA replication is to protect single-stranded DNA and prevent it from re-forming a double helix. When the DNA double helix is unwound by helicase during replication, the two strands become single-stranded and are exposed. This exposure makes the single-stranded regions vulnerable to degradation or inadvertent reannealing (the strands coming back together). Single-stranded binding proteins bind to these single strands to stabilize them, ensuring they remain available for the replication machinery to synthesize new DNA. By preventing the strands from re-forming a double helix, SSBs play a vital role in allowing the replication process to proceed efficiently and accurately.