What is the function of the sliding clamp protein in DNA replication?

The sliding clamp protein prevents the dissociation of the DNA polymerase from the DNA, which would slow down the synthesis process.
The sliding clamp protein catalyzes the separation of the double helix during replication.
The sliding clamp protein synthesizes new segments of DNA.
The sliding clamp protein removes the supercoils that form on the other side of the replication forks.