An introduction to telomeres and telomerase

It is now more than a dozen years since the enzyme telomerase was discovered, and since that time, key studies have characterized the structural components of the enzyme and the associated telomeric proteins. Since the original discovery of telomerase, a clear association with cancer has been demons...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular biotechnology 2003-07, Vol.24 (3), p.295-301
Main Author: BIBBY, Michael C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Cancer
Cancer therapies
Cell Division
Cellular Senescence - genetics
Chromosomes
DNA Replication
Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology
Enzymes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
Malignancy
Somatic cells
Structure-function relationships
Telomerase
Telomerase - antagonists & inhibitors
Telomerase - chemistry
Telomerase - genetics
Telomerase - metabolism
Telomere - genetics
Telomere - ultrastructure
Telomeres
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Summary:It is now more than a dozen years since the enzyme telomerase was discovered, and since that time, key studies have characterized the structural components of the enzyme and the associated telomeric proteins. Since the original discovery of telomerase, a clear association with cancer has been demonstrated. In normal somatic cells the telomeres at the ends of chromosomes shorten with every cell division, whereas in cancer cells telomere length is often maintained by reactivation of the enzyme telomerase. These discoveries have led to the proposal that telomerase expression can be used as a helpful marker for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in humans. Another area of research that has developed as a result of improving knowledge and understanding of the role of telomerase in malignancy is that of cancer therapeutics. This article is an introduction to the field of telomere and telomerase research, with an introduction to recent attempts to develop novel cancer treatments based on telomerase structure and function.
ISSN:1073-6085
1559-0305
1073-6085
DOI:10.1385/MB:24:3:295