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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
Alternative lengthening of telomeres pathway: recombination-mediated telomere maintenance mechanism in human cells
Akira Nabetani1, Fuyuki Ishikawa
1Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Department of Gene Mechanisms, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University,Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. anabe@lif.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Unlimitedly proliferating cells need to acquire the telomere DNA maintenance mechanism, to counteract possible shortening through multiple rounds of replication and segregation of linear chromosomes. Most human cancer cells express telomerase whereas the other cells utilize the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway to elongate telomere DNA. It is suggested that ALT depends on the recombination between telomere repetitive DNAs. However, the molecular details remain unknown. Recent studies have provided evidence of special structures of telomere DNA and genes essential for the phenotypes of ALT cells. The molecular models of the ALT pathway should be validated to elucidate recombination-mediated telomere maintenance and promote the applications to anti-cancer therapy.
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