Deciphering genome stability through telomeres and RNA interactions

Claus Maria Azzalin

Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM), Lisboa, Portugal

The ends of our chromosomes, the telomeres, can potentially be mistaken for broken DNA, leading to incorrect repair that causes genome instability and may initiate cancer. To prevent this, their cells are equipped with a set of different proteins that bind to and protect telomeric DNA. When actual damage occurs within a telomere, the function of these proteins must be regulated to allow for proper repair. This balance between protection and repair is crucial for maintaining genome stability, but how cells manage this process remains unclear.

This project aims to investigate this problem by focusing on a specific RNA molecule called TERRA, which is produced at damaged telomeres. The researchers hypothesize that TERRA helps regulate the functions of a key telomeric protein, allowing the repair process to proceed. They plan to test this hypothesis using advanced techniques through a series of experiments involving biochemistry, cell manipulation, and high-throughput screenings, to study the interactions between TERRA and telomere-protecting proteins, and they will explore how these interactions affect telomeric damage repair and genome stability.

This project will provide a better understanding of how telomeres are maintained; this could lead to new insights into cancer development and potential treatments. These findings could also have broader implications for understanding other processes related to aging and disease.

The role of telomere transcription and TERRA in repairing broken telomeres in human cancer cells

€499.950,00