Single cell organisms have a circular chromosome with no telomeres. The
chromosome is replicated and a new copy passed onto the to daughter cells
during cell division. Each copy is identical to the parent chromosomes,
there are no telomeres so the cells can divide ad infinitum ,as long as
there are nutrients, and no deleterious mutations creep in.
Derek Law
Company Microbiologist
LabM
purphekt3 <purphekt at hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:CMe06.17420$A06.609110 at news1.frmt1.sfba.home.com...
> I am not sure if this is the correct group to propose this question to,
but
> I need to start somewhere. As I understand, as multi-cellular animals cell
> divide to reproduce, the ends of the telomeres shorten. In other words,
the
> cell line ages. After a finite number of divisions the cell can no-longer
> make accurate healthy daughter cells. I believe this was brought up with
the
> cloning news of Dolly the sheep. If this is true then how is it single
cell
> animals can continue to make copies of it self without dividing the
species
> into oblivion? I have asked a geneticist in the department where I work,
> but he could not seem to come up with an answer. Have I "stumped the
> experts" or is this a question someone somewhere is pondering in a
research
> lab?
>>> --
> Thank You
> J Ventimiglia
>>
