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Ultraviolet light causes pyrimidine dimers to form in DNA. Some individuals are genetically incapable of

repairing some dimers at "normal" rates. Such individuals are likely to suffer from ________.
A) xeroderma pigmentosum
B) muscular dystrophy
C) Huntington disease
D) phenylketonuria
E) SCID

1 Answer

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Final answer:

People who are unable to repair thymine dimers caused by UV light suffer from xeroderma pigmentosum, resulting from a defect in nucleotide excision repair enzymes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Individuals who are genetically incapable of repairing pyrimidine dimers, specifically thymine dimers, formed due to ultraviolet light exposure are likely to suffer from xeroderma pigmentosum. This condition occurs because of a defect in the nucleotide excision repair mechanism that normally corrects such defects. As a result, thymine dimers remain uncorrected, distorting the structure of DNA and increasing the risk of skin lesions and skin cancer in affected individuals.

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