Telomere biology is the scientific study of the structure, function, and maintenance of telomeres, which are repetitive DNA sequences and associated protein complexes located at the ends of linear chromosomes. Telomeres serve a crucial protective function, preventing chromosome degradation and fusion, and are intimately linked to cellular aging and longevity. Their progressive shortening with each cell division acts as a mitotic clock, signaling replicative senescence.
Origin
The term telomere is derived from the Greek telos (end) and meros (part). The biological importance of telomeres was first hypothesized in the 1930s by Hermann Muller and Barbara McClintock, but the detailed molecular structure and the discovery of the enzyme telomerase in the 1980s by Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider, and Jack Szostak solidified this field of study.
Mechanism
The core mechanism revolves around the end-replication problem, where conventional DNA polymerase cannot fully replicate the very ends of the linear chromosome. Telomerase, a reverse transcriptase enzyme, counteracts this shortening by adding new telomeric repeats to the chromosome ends. The length and integrity of the telomere cap are influenced by oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormonal factors, all of which modulate the activity of telomerase and the rate of cellular aging.
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