AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Telomeres are the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. They protect chromosome ends from DNA degradation, recombination, and DNA end fusions, and they are important for nuclear architecture. Telomeres provide a mechanism for their replication by semiconservative DNA replication and length maintenance by telomerase.

Detailed explanation-2: -With each cell replication, the telomeres get shorter and shorter until they’re so short that your cells can no longer divide. When cells no longer divide, tissues age. However, telomeres can be rebuilt by an enzyme called telomerase to restore cell division.

Detailed explanation-3: -Over the years, it became clear that most eukaryotes use a telomerase based mechanism to replicate the very ends of chromosomes. This activity solves the first end replication problem because telomerase can elongate the 3’ single strand G-tails in the absence of a DNA template.

Detailed explanation-4: -Telomeres, repetitive (TTAGGG) DNA–protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes, are crucial for the survival of cancer cells. They are maintained by an enzyme called telomerase in the vast majority of tumors.