title: Telomere recombination and alternative telomere lengthening mechanisms.
abstract: Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures at the ends of linear chromosomes that protect them from being recognized as DNA double stranded breaks. Telomeres shorten with every cell division and in the absence of the checkpoint mechanisms critical telomere shortening leads to chromosome end fusions and genomic instability. Cancer cells achieve immortality by engaging in one of the two known mechanisms for telomere maintenance: elongation by telomerase or through recombination. Recombination based elongation of telomeres, also known as alternative lengthening of telomeres or ALT, is prevalent among cancers of mesenchymal origin. However, the conditions favoring ALT emergence are not known. Here we will discuss possible players in ALT mechanisms, including recruitment of telomeres to recombination centers, alterations of telomere associated proteins and modifications at the level of chromatin that could generate recombination permissive conditions at telomeres.
authors.affiliation: Institut Curie, Centre de recherche, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Draskovic
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Londono Vallejo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000502:physiology; D005090:Exodeoxyribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D053484:RecQ Helicases / Q000378:metabolism; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism*; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D059506:Telomere Shortening; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000071657:Werner Syndrome Helicase
chemical_list: D006570:Heterochromatin; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins; D019098:Telomerase; D005090:Exodeoxyribonucleases; C097151:Bloom syndrome protein; C527736:regulator of telomere length protein, mouse; D004265:DNA Helicases; D053484:RecQ Helicases; C098785:WRN protein, human; D000071657:Werner Syndrome Helicase