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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
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Continuous High-resolution Microscopic Observation of Replicative Aging in Budding Yeast
Published on: August 20, 2013
Inherited long telomeres induce a genome-wide transcriptional response in budding yeast
Vasilisa Sidarava1, David Lydall1
1Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE2 4HH, UK.
Genetics
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Long telomeres, inherited across generations, significantly alter gene expression genome-wide in yeast. This impacts membrane transporters and other genes, suggesting a broad regulatory role beyond telomere proximity.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Eukaryotes maintain specific telomere lengths, with short telomeres triggering DNA damage responses and limiting proliferation.
- Long telomeres are linked to increased cell proliferation, but their genome-wide effects on transcription remain unclear.
- Previous studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed long telomeres influence gene expression at specific sites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genome-wide transcriptional consequences of inherited long telomeres in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- To determine if long telomeres affect gene expression beyond loci near the telomeres.
- To explore the mechanism by which long telomeres might influence gene expression.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of transcriptomes in yeast strains with inherited long telomeres over multiple cell divisions.
- Comparison of gene expression profiles between long-telomere strains and controls.
- Assessment of gene distribution and enrichment of regulatory binding sites.
Main Results:
- Strains with long telomeres displayed a distinct genome-wide gene expression profile.
- Upregulation of membrane transporters and downregulation of other genes were observed.
- Affected genes were distributed genome-wide and enriched for Rap1 binding sites, indicating a non-telomere-proximal effect.
Conclusions:
- Inherited long telomeres induce a significant, genome-wide transcriptional response in yeast.
- Long telomeres may sequester transcriptional regulators like Rap1, affecting gene expression at distant sites.
- These findings suggest long telomeres have broader regulatory roles with potential implications for other eukaryotes, including humans.
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