Cigarette smoke contains at least fifty-five different chemicals identified as carcinogenic (cancer-causing) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). When these carcinogens enter the bloodstream, enzymes convert them to a series of chemical intermediates that are easier to excrete. Some of the intermediates bind irreversibly to DNA. Propose a hypothesis about why cigarette smoke
causes cancer.
What will be an ideal response?
Perhaps binding of carcinogenic products of cigarette smoke can cause an error in transcription to mRNA. We know that incorrect codons will match with incorrect anticodons of tRNA, leading to an incorrect sequence in the finished protein. Perhaps one or more of these proteins, either structural or enzymatic, could trigger cancerous growth. There is research (targeting the P53 gene) that supports this hypothesis.
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What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What will be an ideal response?
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