Definition of telomere in English:
telomere
nounˈtiːlə(ʊ)mɪəˈtɛlə(ʊ)mɪəˈtelə-
Genetics A compound structure at the end of a chromosome.
Example sentencesExamples
- It has long been thought that the grouping of telomeres is important for chromosome pairing and subsequent synapsis.
- These two genes are tightly linked to the left telomere of the X chromosome.
- In normal somatic cells, the telomeres shorten with replicative age, and telomerase is not detected.
- Which chromosomes have the shortest telomeres depends only on telomere length in the original parent mice.
- Without telomeres, the chromosomes would ‘fray’ when the cells divided.
Derivatives
adjective
Genetics This ancestral telomeric element has evolved to optimize telomere maintenance.
Example sentencesExamples
- To assess telomeric localization, we quantitated the number of telomeric foci in the various strain backgrounds.
- Such a widespread conservation of telomeric silencing among eukaryotes suggests that it is fundamental to telomere function.
- In both normal-length and elongated telomeres, telomeric turnover was found to involve all but the innermost few repeats.
- Based on these findings, it is reasonable to conclude that telomeric regions of mitotic chromosomes are not unusually susceptible to crossover.
Origin
1940s: from Greek telos 'end' + meros 'part'.