Evidence for a new step in telomere maintenance

Raymund J. Wellinger, Katia Ethier, Pascale Labrecque, Virginia A. Zakian

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

263 Scopus citations

Abstract

The strand of telomeric DNA that runs 5'-3' toward a chromosome end is typically G rich. Telomerase-generated G tails are expected at one end of individual DNA molecules. Saccharomyces telomeres acquire TG1-3 tails late in S phase. Moreover, the telomeres of linear plasmids can interact when the TG1-3 tails are present. Molecules that mimic the structures predicted for telomere replication intermediates were generated in vitro. These in vitro generated molecules formed telomere-telomere interactions similar to those on molecules isolated from yeast, but only if both ends that interacted had a TG1-3 tail. Moreover, TG1-3 tails were generated in vivo in cells lacking telomerase. These data suggest a new step in telomere maintenance, cell cycle-regulated degradation of the C1-3A strand, which can generate a potential substrate for telomerase and telomere-binding proteins at every telomere.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)423-433
Number of pages11
JournalCell
Volume85
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 3 1996

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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