DNA exists in the condensed chromatin form in order to fit into the nucleus. Negatively charged DNA loops twice around positively charged histone proteins to form a nucleosome bead. This nucleosome core is made up of two proteins each of histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4.

H1 is the only histone protein that is not in the nucleosome core, and ties the nucleosome beads together in a string. H1 is located on the nucleosome exterior and help link DNA to the other proteins of the histone structure.

Telomeres are located at the ends of chromosomes and primarily serve the function of protecting the chromosome from degradation and fusion with neighboring chromosomes. The centromere is the site of attachment of two sister chromatids. Telomeres are not proteins; they are simply specialized portions of DNA. The sex chromosomes contain telomeres, but are only known as the sex chromosomes, allosomes, or chromosome 23.

Telomeres are the non-coding terminal ends of chromosomes, which help maintain the integrity of the chromosome and prevent it from being degraded. During normal DNA replication, the ends of the telomeres are not replicated and, therefore, must be lengthened by a different process. Telomerase is an enzyme that uses reverse transcription to extend the telomere.

Centromeres are the regions of chromosomes that link sister chromatids. Extendase function is observed in some polymerases, and involves extending the DNA strand beyond the template (typically by the addition of an adenine nucleotide).

The only choice that involves a process that uses reverse transcription is the lengthening of telomeres. Telomerase is an enzyme that uses reverse transcription to extend telomeres after replication. mRNA splicing and post-translational modifications do not directly use the process of reverse transcription.

If the diploid number is 116,haploid number in the gamete. Subtract 2 sex chromosomes, gives 56 autosomes in the gamete. This required knowing the distinction between autosomes and sex chromosomes and remembering to work from the haploid number since we are asked how many autosomes are in a gamete, not in an adult.

The alleles on the chromosome are not the same. The gene loci is the same, but which allele a chromosome carries depends on the donor. For example, if the maternal parent had blue eyes and the paternal parent had green eyes, then at the gene for eye color there could be 2 different alleles in their progeny.

During interphase, DNA is complexed with protein into a structure called chromatin. Euchromatin refers to chromatin that is loosely packed. Heterochromatin refers to chromatin that is highly condensed, and largely unavailable for transcription.