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What Controls the Tips of our Chromosomes?

Telomeres (in green) are at the tips of chromosomes (in red).
Credit: Jose Escandell, IGC

The tips of our chromosomes have telomeres. They work as a protective cap that prevents our genetic material from unfolding and corroding away. When they do not work properly, telomeres can lead to the total erosion of our genetic material and can trigger cancer and age-related diseases. In a study now published in EMBO Journal, a research team from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC; Portugal), led by Jose Escandell and Miguel Godinho Ferreira, discovered a key aspect of the regulation of telomeres.

There is an increasing number of human syndromes attributed to telomeres malfunction...

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