I'm so excited!
I had remembered reading somewhere that there were lots of non-functioning nucleotides (is that the correct term?) at the ends of DNA strands, and wrote a sort of minor story line in The Galactic Voyager based on that observation. Today, what should I see but that a graduate student, Carol Greider, discovered these 'caps' at the ends of DNA strands. In addition, she discovered the enzyme that causes these caps to be attached: Telomerase! I know very little biology, but the little I know has found its way into one of my stories!
Apparently these caps are instrumental in delaying aging, the natural process where a person's DNA frays at the edges, and causes imperfections in new cells. The DNA caps try to keep the DNA intact. But now, it's reported that these caps seem to keep certain cancer cells protected, too, which we definitely do not want.
Kay
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