Final answer:
Telomeres protect chromosome ends from deterioration during cell division and are extended by the enzyme telomerase, which adds repetitive sequences to prevent loss of genetic information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The function of the telomeres is to protect the ends of chromosomes from deterioration or from fusion with neighboring chromosomes. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome's DNA molecule that protect the genetic data of the organism by preventing the loss of genetic information during cell division. In humans, these consist of repeated sequences of TTAGGG, ranging from 100 to 1000 repeats. The enzyme telomerase helps maintain the telomeres by adding these repetitive nucleotide sequences to the ends of the chromosomes, especially on the lagging strand during DNA replication.
When cells divide, the enzymes that duplicate the DNA cannot copy the extreme ends of the chromosomes. If cells divided without telomeres, they would lose the ends of their chromosomes, and the necessary information contained in them. Thus, telomeres play a critical role in preserving the information in our genome.