Final answer:
Telomerase solves ssDNA gap issues by b) adding repetitive DNA sequences to chromosome ends, which allows regular DNA replication enzymes to complete the synthesis of the lagging strand.
Step-by-step explanation:
How does telomerase solve ssDNA gap issues? Telomerase addresses ssDNA gap problems by b) adding repetitive DNA sequences to the ends of chromosomes.
Specifically, telomerase uses an inbuilt RNA template to add a series of nucleotides to the 3' end of one DNA strand.
During DNA replication, the leading strand is synthesized continuously, but the lagging strand, being discontinuous, is synthesized in Okazaki fragments. Each fragment begins with an RNA primer.
However, at the very end of the chromosome, there is an issue as there is no upstream DNA where a primer can attach, thus leaving a gap.
Telomerase solves this problem by attaching an RNA template of the sequence TTAGGG to the overhang of the 3' end and extending it.
This allows DNA polymerase to then fill in the complementary strand, thereby preventing the chromosome from progressively shortening after repeated rounds of replication.