Telomeres and Telomerase

Telomeres and Telomerase
Chairman: Sydney Brenner, 1997

Telomeres are the protective genetic elements located at the ends of chromosomes and are essential for correct chromosomal structure and function. They are not fully replicated by the conventional DNA polymerase system because DNA synthesis occurs only in the 5'' to 3'' direction and requires an RNA primer for initiation. Consequently, cells r...