By Marcia-Ruth Ndege ‘21 The telomerase enzyme catalytic cycle limits the telomerase enzymes’ ability to synthesize specific DNA segments of six nucleotides called repeats. These repeats, known as telomeres, are protective caps that prevent the destabilization of the genome by lengthening the ends of chromosomes. However, these protective caps shorten every time a cell divides. A cell’s telomere length, therefore, determines when a cell will … Continue reading New Findings in Telomerase Activity and the Potential for Immortality