There is a problem completing the replication of linear chromosom...

Question

There is a problem completing the replication of linear chromosomes at their ends.

Describe the problem and identify why telomeres shorten in each replication cycle.

Accepted Answer

Hey, everyone. Let's take a look at this question together, which of the following is caused due to the inability of DNA polymerase to add nucleotides to the ends of the lagging strand. Is it answer choice. A DNA hairpin loop, answer choice B DNA mutation, answer choice C DNA lesion or answer choice D shortening of telomeres. Let's work this problem out together to try to figure out which of the following is caused due to that inability of DNA polymerase to add nucleotides to the ends of lagging strands. And we know that a consequence of the inability of DNA polymerase to add nucleotides to the ends of the lagging strand is that it leads to the end of replication because those DNA polymerase enzymes cannot add nucleotides to the lagging strand. So the process of replication cannot continue, which then causes the gradual shortening of telomeres. Because as the cell divides and the telomeres shorten DNA polymerase cannot add to the lagging strand. So it leads to the gradual shortening of telomeres, which means that answer choice d shortening of telomeres is the correct answer because the inability of DNA polymerase to add nucleotides to the ends of the lagging strand leads to the end of replication which then causes that gradual shortening of telomeres. So answer choice d shortening of telomeres is the correct answer. And answer choices A B and C are all incorrect because they are not directly related to that inability of DNA polymerase adding nucleotides to the ends of the lagging strand. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye.

There is a problem completing the replication of linear chromosomes at their ends. Describe the problem and identify why telomeres shorten in each replication cycle.

Key Concepts

Telomeres

DNA Replication

Hayflick Limit

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