Structure of the tTRBD–TBE complex
Over-activation of telomerase in 90% of malignant tumors has made the unusual enzyme a prime target for drug development efforts. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have determined the structure of a key part of the enzyme telomerase, which is active in most cancers and enables cancer cells to proliferate indefinitely. They reveal how the enzyme carries out a crucial function involved in protecting the ends of chromosomes.
Repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes, called telomeres, serve as protective caps. As cells divide, their telomeres get progressively shorter, until eventually the cells stop dividing. The telomerase enzyme lengthens telomeres by adding more of the repetitive DNA sequence...
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