Developmental Cell · Feb 5, 2018

When Telomerase Causes Telomere Loss

By Glousker G, Lingner J

Telomerase counteracts telomere shortening, preventing cellular senescence. Telomerase deficiency causes telomere syndromes because of premature telomere exhaustion in highly proliferative cells. Paradoxically, in a recent issue of Cell, Margalef et al. (2018) demonstrate that telomerase causes telomere loss in cells lacking the RTEL1 helicase, which is defective in Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HHS).

doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2018.01.011Open accessPubMed 29408234Mechanisms