Answer to Question #307264 in Genetics for boo

Question

For centuries, people have searched for the fabled Fountain of Youth, said to confer the ability to

forestall old age and remain young forever. To gain insight into how tackling aging by targeting

telomerase might work, researchers looked at mice that lack a telomerase gene. These mice have

shorter telomeres than normal mice and age prematurely. However, when these mice were engineered

to express telomerase in their somatic cells, their telomeres lengthen and the effects of aging are

reversed. This observation suggests that a drug that stimulates the expression of telomerase in somatic

cells could prevent telomere shortening and stop the aging process. Consider how such a drug would

work and what may be some potential side effects of such a drug?

Answer 1

Telomere length drug, which can be affected by various lifestyle factors, can affect the pace of aging and onset of age-associated diseases.

Side effects of the drug are hair loss and nausea.