Half a century ago, scientists Jim Watson and Alexey Olovnikov independently realized that there was a problem with how our DNA gets copied. A quirk of linear DNA replication dictated that telomeres ...

In absence of TARG1, ADP-ribose accumulated at telomeres, leading to disruption of telomere replication and premature telomere shortening. To show that these telomere defects were due to modification ...

A new study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center has shown that an enzyme called PARP1 is involved in the repair of telomeres, the lengths of DNA ...

New findings describe how the enzyme CST is recruited to the end of the telomere, where it maintains telomere length with the help of subtle chemical changes made to the protein POT1. The length of ...

Studies have reported that telomeres consisting of repeated DNA sequences (TTAGGG) play an essential role in protecting the human chromosome ends from fusions and degradation. Replication of cells ...

In the quest to unlock the secrets of aging and longevity, telomeres have emerged as key players. These protective caps at the ends of our chromosomes play a critical role in cellular aging. With each ...

Each time a cell divides, a small section of each chromosome's protective cap—the telomere—is worn away. Most cells use an enzyme called telomerase to help mitigate this loss, but 10% to 15% of ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American The Hallmarks of Cancer are ten underlying ...

A new study led by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center researchers shows that an enzyme called PARP1 is involved in repair of telomeres, the lengths of DNA that protect the tips of ...