Explain how a telomerase inhibitor might be an effective cancer treatment. What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER: Some cells contain an enzyme, telomerase, which makes extra telomere repeats, keeping the
number of telomere repeats constant from one cell division to another. Telomerase is active
in more than 90% of cancers, allowing cancer cells to divide indefinitely. Because telomerase
is not active in most cells of the body but is active in cancer cells, the development of a
telomerase inhibitor may prove to be an effective treatment for cancer. If a drug can shut off
telomerase, the chromosomes in cancer cells would shorten in each cell division, leading to a
halt in tumor growth and the eventual death of the tumor cells.
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The Human Genome Project was responsible for discovery of a new class of mutation, the
____________________. Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
Which of the following chemicals' concentration is NOT increased by an elevation in metabolic activity?
A) carbon dioxide B) oxygen C) hydrogen D) potassium E) pyruvic acid
During fermentation, yeast cells convert pyruvate to ethanol and CO2. Fermentation also occurs in human muscle cells when oxygen is depleted. In the case of muscle cells, what are the by-product(s) of the fermentation of pyruvate?
A) oxygen and ATP B) ethanol and CO2 C) lactic acid D) ATP and NADH E) sugars and proteins
A reaction that releases energy is ________.
A. exergonic B. impossible C. endergonic D. None of the choices are correct.