Question

What would the consequence of deleting telomerase from a human cell line?

Answer 1

Telomerase, also called terminal transferase, is a ribonucleoprotein that adds a telomere repeat sequence to the 3' end of telomeres. A telomere is a region of repetitive sequences at each end of eukaryotic chromosomes in most eukaryotes. Telomeres protect the end of the chromosome from DNA damage or from fusion with neighbouring chromosomes. In humans, telomeres are thought to be maintained in germ line cells. If telomerase are deleted from a human cell lines, telomere shortening will continue to occur along with increased chromosome fusion, aneuploidy, and cell death. Thus, as a consequence of deleting telomerase from a human cell line, it will lose its cancerous nature and become mortal.