9700_w18_qp_23
A paper of Biology, 9700
Questions:
6
Year:
2018
Paper:
2
Variant:
3

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is a diagram of a monomer of the nucleic acid, messenger RNA. F E D Name D, E and F in . D E F State one way in which the structure of DNA differs from the structure of messenger RNA. Telomeres are repeating sequences of bases located at the ends of DNA molecules. These repeating sequences do not code for proteins. The enzyme telomerase ensures that telomeres do not shorten each time DNA is replicated. A shows the end of a DNA molecule during replication. DNA polymerase cannot attach to the region labelled X, so it cannot complete the synthesis of the new strand without the action of telomerase. Telomerase synthesises additional lengths of DNA that are added to the telomere. These additional lengths are used by DNA polymerase to complete the process of replication. B is an enlarged view of region X to show the action of the enzyme telomerase. A T 5’ 3’ 3’ 5’ A T A A T T A T A A T G C G C G C G C G C G C T A T A A T G C G C G T T A G G G T T A G X B T T A T C A A A G C G G C T C C C A U A C A U free nucleotides telomerase template RNA Telomerase contains a short length of RNA that acts as a template for the synthesis of DNA as shown in B. Explain how a molecule of telomerase synthesises additional lengths of DNA. Telomerase is not present in prokaryotic cells. Suggest why prokaryotes do not have telomerase. One of the ways to diagnose lung cancer is to determine the concentration of telomerase in cells from the lining of the bronchus. Explain why determining the activity of telomerase may be useful in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
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