DNA primase is the polymerase that synthesizes small RNA primers for the Okazaki fragments made during discontinuous DNA replication. In a complex with DNA polymerase alpha (DNA polymerase alpha:primase) constitutes a replicative polymerase. Both primase components participate in formation of the active center, but the ATP-binding site is exclusively located on p48. DNA polymerase alpha:primase is a four subunit enzyme complex, which is assembled throughout the cell cycle, and consists of the two DNA polymerase subunits A POL1 and B POL12, and the DNA primase large PRI2 and small PRI1 subunits. The bound zinc ion is not a cofactor. It is bound to a zinc knuckle motif that may be involved in sequence recognition and the binding of ssDNA (By similarity). Present with 197 molecules/cell in log phase SD medium. Belongs to the eukaryotic-type primase small subunit family.