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Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer pp 127–148Cite as

Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres in Human Cells

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Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

Abstract

Telomere renewal is a prerequisite for cellular immortalisation. Some cells maintain their telomeres by a telomerase-independent alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism. Characteristic features of most ALT-positive human cells include highly heterogeneous telomere lengths, PML nuclear bodies containing telomeric DNA and telomere-binding proteins, a high frequency of telomeric exchange events, and the presence of extrachromosomal telomeric DNA circles. Numerous proteins involved in DNA recombination, repair and replication also associate with APBs, and proteins involved in homologous recombination are necessary for ALT. These and other data indicate that the mechanism of telomere lengthening in ALT-positive cells may involve recombination-mediated replication of telomeric sequences.

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Acknowledgments

Work in the authors' laboratory is supported by a Fellowship from Promina to HAP, a Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia to RR, and a Program Grant from the Cancer Council New South Wales. The authors thank L. Colgin, A. Cesare, A. Neumann, J. Henson and E. Collins for their comments on the manuscript and assistance in its preparation.

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  1. Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Hilda A. Pickett & Roger R. Reddel

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  1. Dept. Translational Cancer Research, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Hiroshima, Minami-Ku, 734-8551, Japan

    Keiko Hiyama

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Pickett, H.A., Reddel, R.R. (2009). Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres in Human Cells. In: Hiyama, K. (eds) Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-879-9_5

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