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DNA strands located at the end of chromosomes which serve as caps to protect the ends are called:

A. Chromatids
B. Telomeres
C. Centromeres
D. Homologous chromosomes

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, consisting of repeated non-coding sequences. An enzyme called telomerase maintains these sequences. The correct answer to the question is 'B. Telomeres'.

Step-by-step explanation:

The DNA strands located at the end of chromosomes which serve as caps to protect the ends are called telomeres. Telomeres consist of repetitive sequences that do not code for particular genes, but they play a critical role in protecting chromosomes from deterioration or fusion with neighboring chromosomes. Each human telomere has a six-base-pair sequence, TTAGGG, repeated approximately 100 to 1000 times. The enzyme telomerase aids in maintaining the length of telomeres by adding these sequences to the ends of chromosomes. During the replication process, the telomerase enzyme, which has a catalytic part and a built-in RNA template, adds new telomere sequences to the 3' end of the DNA, ensuring that the ends of chromosomes are fully replicated and protected.

The DNA strands located at the end of chromosomes which serve as caps to protect the ends are called Telomeres. Telomeres comprise repetitive sequences that code for no particular gene and are added to the ends of chromosomes by the enzyme telomerase. In humans, telomeres consist of a six-base-pair sequence, TTAGGG, which is repeated 100 to 1000 times. It helps protect the genes from being lost as cells continue to divide.

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