Characterization of the telomeric region of human chromosome 16p

The terminal regions of chromosomes have specialised molecular and cytological properties, which are reflected in their DNA sequence organisation. Telomeric DNA, the conserved sequence at the extreme ends of chromosomes, comprises in mammals a variable length (2-20 kb in humans; 15-150 kb in mouse) of the simple sequence (TTAGGG)n orientated 5’->3’ toward the chromosome end. It is likely that this repeat motif, together with associated protein components can explain many of the properties of human telomeres; for example, replication of the terminal DNA, protection against exonucleolytic degradation, and the prevention of chromosome fusion (reviewed in Blackburn, 1991).