Explain why the replication machinery is incapable of comple

Explain why the replication machinery is incapable of completely replicating the ends of the chromosomes. What is the practical effect of this? How do eukaryotic cells get around this problem?

Solution

Leading strand can synthesize DNA to the very ends of the chromosome but the lagging strand cannot. Because RNA primer is used at the end of a chromosome to initiate the final Okazaki fragment. After this primer is removed, the missing DNA cannot be filled in, generating 3\' overhands at the chromosome ends.

This leads to chromosomes would get shorter with every cell division.

Eukaryotes have the enzyme telomerase, which extends chromosome ends by adding many repeating sequences of DNA. These telomeres protect important DNA sequences from being lost.