Biology (MindTap Course List)
11th Edition
ISBN: 9781337392938
Author: Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. Berg
Publisher: Cengage Learning
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Chapter 12, Problem 13TYU
Summary Introduction
To determine: The reason why highly active telomerase activity would affect the ability of cancer cells to sustain growth and cell division.
Introduction: Cancer is characterized by abnormal and uncontrolled development of altered cells. They have the tendency to infiltrate and damage normal body cells and tissues. Cancer is caused due to abnormal cell cycle control system. It undergoes several genetic and epigenetic alterations that cause uncontrolled proliferation of cells.
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In your own words, explain how cancer cells differ from normal cells in regard to the following:
Telomeres, which are products of telomerase enzyme
What would be the likely result of expressing telomerase in somatic cells?
Immortality of gametes
premature aging
lower rates of replication
formation of cancer
Telomerase is not active in most human cells. Some cancer biologists have suggested that activation of the telomerase gene would be a requirement for a cell to become cancerous. Explain why this might be the case.
Chapter 12 Solutions
Biology (MindTap Course List)
Ch. 12.1 - Summarize the evidence that accumulated during the...Ch. 12.1 - Prob. 2LOCh. 12.1 - Prob. 1CCh. 12.1 - Prob. 2CCh. 12.2 - Explain how nucleotide subunits link to form a...Ch. 12.2 - Describe how the two strands of DNA are oriented...Ch. 12.2 - Prob. 5LOCh. 12.2 - Prob. 1CCh. 12.2 - Prob. 2CCh. 12.2 - Prob. 3C
Ch. 12.3 - Cite evidence from Meselson and Stahls experiment...Ch. 12.3 - Prob. 7LOCh. 12.3 - Explain the complexities of DNA replication that...Ch. 12.3 - Discuss how enzymes proofread and repair errors in...Ch. 12.3 - Prob. 10LOCh. 12.3 - How did the ability to distinguish old and newly...Ch. 12.3 - What feature of DNA structure causes DNA...Ch. 12.3 - What is the reason that eukaryotic cells require...Ch. 12 - When Griffith injected mice with a combination of...Ch. 12 - Which of the following inspired Avery and his...Ch. 12 - In the Hershey-Chase experiment with...Ch. 12 - The two complementary strands of the DNA double...Ch. 12 - If a segment of DNA is 5 CATTAC 3, the...Ch. 12 - Each DNA strand has a backbone that consists of...Ch. 12 - The experiments in which Meselson and Stahl grew...Ch. 12 - The statement DNA replicates by a semiconservative...Ch. 12 - Topoisomerases (a) synthesize DNA (b) synthesize...Ch. 12 - A lagging strand forms by (a) joining primers (b)...Ch. 12 - The immediate source of energy for DNA replication...Ch. 12 - Which of the following statements about eukaryotic...Ch. 12 - Prob. 13TYUCh. 12 - Prob. 14TYUCh. 12 - Prob. 15TYUCh. 12 - INTERPRET DATA In the Hershey-Chase experiment,...Ch. 12 - EVOLUTION LINK How does DNA being the universal...
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Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, biology and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
A mutation in which of these proteins will lead to increased mutations in all daughter cells?
A. helicase
B. topoisomerase
C. ligase
D. DNA polymerase
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Which of the following statements are correct about telomeres (select all that apply)?
A.
A total of 6 nucleotides are lost at the end of each chromsome during each replication cycle.
B.
Addition of telomerase to cells that have undergone breakage-fusion-bridge cycles can reverse crisis
C.
Shortening of telomeres prevents cells from becoming cancerous even if they have oncogenes and defective tumor suppressor genes
D.
All cancer cells express high levels of telomerase
E.
Chromosomes without telomeres tend to undergo end-to-end fusions
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X-rays strike a chromosome in a living cell and ultimately cause the cell to die. Did the X-rays produce a mutation? Explain why or why not.
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How does a normal cell become a cancerous cell? What has to happen to it?
Do mutations that cause cancer in an individual pass down to his/her offspring?
What is the role of proto-oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes in cancer formation and development?
Explain the connection between telomerase activity and cancer.
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Cancer cells can divide much longer than most other cells. One possible reason is the presence of telomerase in cancer cells. How might telomerase aid cancer cells?
A. It proofreads the telomere sequences.
B. It increases the length of the telomeres.
C. It decreases the length of the telomeres.
D. It stabilizes the bonds in the telomeres.
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All cells must replicate their DNA before each cell division. Why is it that DNA has to be replicated extremely accurately, with very few errors?
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Most cells are unable to copy the ends of chromosomes, and therefore chromosomes shorten with each cell division. This limits the number of times a cell can divide. In germ cells and stem cells, however, an enzyme called telomerase lengthens the telomeres and prevents chromosome shortening. Thus, these cells are not limited in the number of times they can divide. All cells have the gene for telomerase, but most somatic cells don’t express it, and they produce no telomerase. Why don’t somatic cells express telomerase and have unlimited division?
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Our bodies are not defenseless against mutagens that alter our genomic DNA sequences. What mechanisms are used to repair DNA?
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The search for the BRCA1 breast cancer gene discussed in this chapter was widely publicized in the media (for example, Newsweek, December 6, 1993). Describe the steps taken by Mary-Claire King and her colleagues to clone this gene. How long did this process take?
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In 1994, telomerase activity was discovered in human cancer cell lines. Although telomerase is not active in human somatic tissue, human somatic cells do contain the genes for telomerase proteins and telomerase RNA. Since inappropriate activation of telomerase may contribute to cancer, why do you think the genes coding for this enzyme have been maintained in the human genome throughout evolution? Are there any types of human body cells where telomerase activation would be advantageous or even necessary? Explain.
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Why is it important for DNA to be copied before a cell undergoes mitosis?
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One important biological effect of a large dose of ionizing radiation is to halt cell division. What might be the effects of such a mutation if the cell is not irradiated?
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