NIH R01 · 2025
Defining the mechanisms and consequences of noncanonical telomere functions
Abstract The canonical functions attributed to telomeres in textbooks are to protect chromosome ends from degradation and fusion, both of which are confirmed drivers of genome instability and tumorigenesis. We have discovered two new and unforeseen roles for telomeres that are crucial for safeguarding the genome. First, we found that by interacting during meiotic prophase with the LINC complex (linker of nucleo- and cyto-skeleton), which spans the nuclear envelope, telomeres promote the nuclear envelope breakdown needed for spindle formation and the meiotic nuclear divisions. Remarkably, centromeres perform this function analogously in mitotic cell cycles, and indeed sporadic contacts…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.