What would happen if telomerase stopped working in a cell in which it normally functions at high levels?
A)The cells would be able to divide indefinitely.
B)Cancer would be the result.
C)The cell would die immediately.
D)The cell would eventually die as the DNA continued to shorten.
E)None of the other answer options is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Telomerase is responsible for maintaining the length of telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. If telomerase stopped working in a cell that normally relies on it for high levels of function, the telomeres would gradually shorten over successive cell divisions, eventually leading to cellular senescence or cell death. This is because critically short telomeres trigger a DNA damage response that prevents further cell division. Therefore, the best choice is D: the cell would eventually die as the DNA continued to shorten. Option A is incorrect since telomerase inhibition would lead to telomere shortening, which means there would be a limit to the number of divisions that the cells encounter in their lifetime. Meanwhile, option B is partially correct since unchecked proliferation can lead to cancer, but telomerase alone is not the only factor in the development of cancer. Finally, option C is implausible since cells require a complete genome to survive, so immediate death would not be possible without catastrophic damage.

What Would Happen If Telomerase Stopped Working in a Cell