Question

Propose an experiment that would test if the RNA component of telomerase serves as a template to extend telomeres. A cell free system with purified factors (in vitro) or cloned expression vectors that you can manipulate for studies in cells (in vivo) is available for your experiment. Explain how you set up your experiment (eg. combinations tested), how you analyze your experiment, and what the experimental results would be (illustrate) if the RNA was the template and if it was not. 20 points

Answer 1

To study the importance of the RNA telomer element, we can evaluate it by generating an in vitro state where all the purified components are included, organizing two groups, one of them will have an RNAase and the other will not, if it is observed that the telomeres extend to the component of the RNA, in the set where there is no RNAase, longer telomeres could be observed, if there were no influence of the RNA, the length in both groups would be the same