Alternative lengthening of telomeres in human cells.
Activation of a telomere maintenance mechanism appears to be essential for immortalization. In most human tumors and tumor cell lines, the telomere maintenance mechanism involves the activity of telomerase, a reverse transcriptase holoenzyme that synthesizes telomeric repeat DNA. In some cases, telomere maintenance occurs in the absence of telomerase activity by a mechanism referred to as alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). The development of telomere-targeted anticancer therapies will be facilitated by an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ALT and of the means whereby ALT is repressed in normal cells.
Reddel
R R
RR
Children's Medical Research Institute, 214 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, 2145 Australia.
Bryan
T M
TM
Colgin
L M
LM
Perrem
K T
KT
Yeager
T R
TR
D000818:Animals; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase