Final answer:
Tetrahymena telomerase has reverse transcriptase activity, allowing it to prevent chromosome shortening and maintain genomic stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The somewhat extraordinary finding related to the Tetrahymena telomerase enzyme is that it has reverse transcriptase activity. Telomerase is an enzyme that contains a catalytic part and an inbuilt RNA template, and its main function is to maintain telomeres at the ends of chromosomes.
The RNA component of telomerase serves as a template for the extension of the DNA strand, adding complementary bases on the 3' end of the strand. This activity allows telomerase to prevent chromosome shortening and maintain genomic stability.