The role of shelterin in maintaining telomere integrity.
The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes need to be protected from detection as DNA double strand breaks by the DNA damage response pathways. Failure to do so would have devastating consequences for genome integrity. Packaging of chromosome ends into protective structures called telomeres prevents checkpoint activation and DNA repair/recombination activities. Several studies on a variety of organisms have revealed that protein complexes with specificity for telomeric DNA protect chromosome ends from being recognized as DNA double-strand breaks and regulate telomere maintenance by the telomerase. In this review, we will discuss the consequences of telomere dysfunction and our understanding of how telomere integrity is maintained.
Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Universita di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy. mariapia.longhese@unimib.it
Maria Pia
MP
Longhese
Savani
S
Anbalagan
Marina
M
Martina
Diego
D
Bonetti
D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D006801:Humans; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D016615:Telomere; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins