Telomere length and telomere-centromere relationships?
The quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) technique enables an accurate estimate of individual telomere lengths, a possibility beyond the resolution of conventional techniques. So far, Q-FISH has been used for the estimate of individual telomere lengths in human, mouse and Chinese hamster chromosomes. This analysis revealed large variations in the size of individual telomeres and a specific intra-chromosomal distribution of telomere lengths; telomeres closer to centromeres appear to be shorter than their counterparts more distant from centromeres. This observation suggests that individual telomere length may be affected by centromere position, a possibility consistent with the theory of chromosome field postulated more than 40 years ago by Lima-de-Faria. The link between the theory of chromosome field and the role of telomere-centromere relationships in the regulation of telomere length is discussed in this article.
Slijepcevic
P
P
School of Biomedical Sciences, Bute Medical Buildings, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9TS, UK. ps9@st-and.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002503:Centromere / Q000502:physiology*; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000737:chemistry; D006224:Cricetinae; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D016615:Telomere / Q000648:ultrastructure*