SnapShot: Telomeres and Telomerase

SnapShot: Telomeres and Telomerase

Telomeres and telomerase.

Telomeres are the protective DNA-protein complexes found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomeric DNA consists of tandem repeats of a simple, often G-rich, sequence specified by the action of telomerase, and complete replication of telomeric DNA requires telomerase. Telomerase is a specialized cellular ribonucleoprotein reverse transcriptase. By copying a short template sequence within ...

Telomeres and telomerase.

Telomeres are in the spotlight of modern biology. Whether the subject at hand is cancer, gene regulation, organismal aging, or the cloning of mammals, much seems to depend on what happens at the ends of chromosomes. Because glamorous hypotheses often persist without experimental support, it is important to ask ourselves what we really know about telomeres. This was the topic of a recent meeting...

Telomeres and telomerase in cancer.

Myriad genetic and epigenetic alterations are required to drive normal cells toward malignant transformation. These somatic events commandeer many signaling pathways that cooperate to endow aspiring cancer cells with a full range of biological capabilities needed to grow, disseminate and ultimately kill its host. Cancer genomes are highly rearranged and are characterized by complex translocatio...

Telomeres, Telomerase, Stress, and Aging

Why should a behavioral scientist study telomeres? Mainte nance of telomeres, the natural ends of linear chromosomes, is a fundamental biological mechanism of all eukaryotic cells, from protozoa to humans. Gradual shortening of telomeres after each cell division eventually can lead to loss of cellular division capacity and cell death, and contribute to genomic instability, a characteristic of c...