Telomeres

  • A special type of DNA polymerase enzyme called telomerase catalyzes the synthesis of telomere sequences at the ends of the DNA.
  • In humans there are 46 chromosomes and thus 92 telomeres (one at each end)
  • Telomeres also acts as protective caps for chromosomes and separate one chromosome from another in the DNA sequence
  • Telomeres are also thought to be the "clock" that regulates how many times an individual cell can divide since telomeric sequences shorten each time the DNA replicates.