Telomere length, chromatin structure and chromosome fusigenic potential |
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Authors: | P Slijepcevic M P Hande S D Bouffler P Lansdorp P E Bryant |
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Institution: | (1) School of Biological and Medical Sciences, Bute Medical Buildings, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9TS, UK, GB;(2) The Terry Fox Laboratory, 601 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1L3, CA;(3) Biomedical Effects Department, National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 ORQ, UK, GB |
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Abstract: | Telomeres are specialized structures at chromosome ends that are thought to function as buffers against chromosome fusion.
Several studies suggest that telomere shortening may render chromosomes fusigenic. We used a novel quantitative fluorescence
in situ hybridization procedure to estimate telomere length in individual mammalian chromosomes, and G-banding and chromosome
painting techniques to determine chromosome fusigenic potential. All analysed Chinese hamster and mouse cell lines exhibited
shorter telomeres at short chromosome arms than at long chromosome arms. However, no clear link between short telomeres and
chromosome fusigenic potential was observed, i.e. frequencies of telomeric associations were higher in cell lines exhibiting
longer telomeres. We speculate that chromosome fusigenic potential in mammalian cell lines may be determined not only by telomere
length but also by the status of telomere chromatin structure. This is supported by the observed presence of chromatin filaments
linking telomeres in Chinese hamster chromosomes and of multibranched chromosomes oriented end-to-end in the murine severe
combined immunodeficient (SCID) cell line. Multibranched chromosomes are the hallmark of the human ICF (Immune deficiency,
Centromeric instability, Facial abnormalities) syndrome, characterized by alterations in heterochromatin structure.
Received: 13 June 1997; in revised form: 3 August 1997 / Accepted: 4 August 1997 |
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