Size matters — when it comes to DNA

BIOLOGY NEWS NET

“Telomeres consist of repeating pieces of DNA that vary in length between individuals. Important research over a number of years has shown that these structures shrink in length over an individual’s lifetime and that this may contribute to several diseases.

Telomere shortening can be reversed in two specific ways:

* a protein termed telomerase can directly add new DNA to the end of telomeres.

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