In which direction is DNA generally read during replication?

During DNA replication, the DNA strands are read in the 3' to 5' direction. This means that the enzymes responsible for replication, such as DNA polymerases, bind to the template strand of DNA in this direction to synthesize the new strand. This is because DNA polymerases can only add new nucleotides to the free 3' hydroxyl end of the growing DNA strand, which is synthesized in a 5' to 3' direction. Therefore, while the new strand elongates from 5' to 3', the template strand is read from 3' to 5'. This directional aspect is crucial for understanding how DNA replication ensures fidelity and continuity in the genetic information.