Individuals with xeroderma pigmentosum inherit a faulty DNA repair mechanism. As a consequence, ____.
A) they are sterile
B) their cells have no proofreading abilities during DNA replication
C) Okazaki fragments produced during DNA replication cannot be joined
D) they easily develop skin cancer when exposed to sunlight
E) their telomeres are shorter than average

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Xeroderma pigmentosum is characterized by an extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight, due to a defect in the nucleotide excision repair mechanism that normally corrects DNA damage caused by UV light. This leads to a significantly increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Individuals with Xeroderma Pigmentosum Inherit a Faulty DNA Repair Mechanism