No they aren't the same as suicide genes. They are the reason we have suicide genes. Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes. Every time a chromosome is replicated, a few bases are lost at the end (a consequence of DNA always needing a primer with a 3' OH group to attach the next base to). Telomeres are repeated sequences at the end that are just some extra garbage DNA with a sequence that varies between species. That way, when some bases are lost from the end of linear chromosomes, it is just junk DNA instead of valuable genes. They are replenished by the enzyme telomerase. Most cells in humans don't replenish their telomeres, which is why they undergo apoptosis after a set number of replication cycles.