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Why does telomerase have to have a built-in template for dna synthesis?

User Eegloo
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Telomerase is involved in adding DNA to the end of the lagging strand.

At the ends of linear chromosomes (telomeres), telomerase uses its built-in RNA template to extend the parent DNA template near the end of the lagging strand, providing room for an RNA primer so that lagging strand synthesis can be completed to the end of the chromosome
User Vern Jensen
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