1
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Yu HJ, Byun YH, Park CK. Techniques for assessing telomere length: A methodological review. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1489-1498. [PMID: 38633384 PMCID: PMC11021795 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are located at the ends of chromosomes and have specific sequences with a distinctive structure that safeguards genes. They possess capping structures that protect chromosome ends from fusion events and ensure chromosome stability. Telomeres shorten in length during each cycle of cell division. When this length reaches a certain threshold, it can lead to genomic instability, thus being implicated in various diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. The possibility of telomeres serving as a biomarker for aging and age-related disease is being explored, and their significance is still under study. This is because post-mitotic cells, which are mature cells that do not undergo mitosis, do not experience telomere shortening due to age. Instead, other causes, for example, exposure to oxidative stress, can directly damage the telomeres, causing genomic instability. Nonetheless, a general agreement has been established that measuring telomere length offers valuable insights and forms a crucial foundation for analyzing gene expression and epigenetic data. Numerous approaches have been developed to accurately measure telomere lengths. In this review, we summarize various methods and their advantages and limitations for assessing telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon Jong Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Hwan Byun
- Department of Neurosurgery, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Kee Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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2
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Tan KT, Slevin MK, Leibowitz ML, Garrity-Janger M, Shan J, Li H, Meyerson M. Neotelomeres and telomere-spanning chromosomal arm fusions in cancer genomes revealed by long-read sequencing. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100588. [PMID: 38917803 PMCID: PMC11293586 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Alterations in the structure and location of telomeres are pivotal in cancer genome evolution. Here, we applied both long-read and short-read genome sequencing to assess telomere repeat-containing structures in cancers and cancer cell lines. Using long-read genome sequences that span telomeric repeats, we defined four types of telomere repeat variations in cancer cells: neotelomeres where telomere addition heals chromosome breaks, chromosomal arm fusions spanning telomere repeats, fusions of neotelomeres, and peri-centromeric fusions with adjoined telomere and centromere repeats. These results provide a framework for the systematic study of telomeric repeats in cancer genomes, which could serve as a model for understanding the somatic evolution of other repetitive genomic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar-Tong Tan
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Mitchell L Leibowitz
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Max Garrity-Janger
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jidong Shan
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Heng Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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3
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Sanchez SE, Gu Y, Wang Y, Golla A, Martin A, Shomali W, Hockemeyer D, Savage SA, Artandi SE. Digital telomere measurement by long-read sequencing distinguishes healthy aging from disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5148. [PMID: 38890274 PMCID: PMC11189511 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49007-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is an important biomarker of organismal aging and cellular replicative potential, but existing measurement methods are limited in resolution and accuracy. Here, we deploy digital telomere measurement (DTM) by nanopore sequencing to understand how distributions of human telomere length change with age and disease. We measure telomere attrition and de novo elongation with up to 30 bp resolution in genetically defined populations of human cells, in blood cells from healthy donors and in blood cells from patients with genetic defects in telomere maintenance. We find that human aging is accompanied by a progressive loss of long telomeres and an accumulation of shorter telomeres. In patients with defects in telomere maintenance, the accumulation of short telomeres is more pronounced and correlates with phenotypic severity. We apply machine learning to train a binary classification model that distinguishes healthy individuals from those with telomere biology disorders. This sequencing and bioinformatic pipeline will advance our understanding of telomere maintenance mechanisms and the use of telomere length as a clinical biomarker of aging and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago E Sanchez
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yuchao Gu
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yan Wang
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anudeep Golla
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Annika Martin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - William Shomali
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dirk Hockemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sharon A Savage
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Steven E Artandi
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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4
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Schmidt TT, Tyer C, Rughani P, Haggblom C, Jones JR, Dai X, Frazer KA, Gage FH, Juul S, Hickey S, Karlseder J. High resolution long-read telomere sequencing reveals dynamic mechanisms in aging and cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5149. [PMID: 38890299 PMCID: PMC11189484 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48917-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are the protective nucleoprotein structures at the end of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomeres' repetitive nature and length have traditionally challenged the precise assessment of the composition and length of individual human telomeres. Here, we present Telo-seq to resolve bulk, chromosome arm-specific and allele-specific human telomere lengths using Oxford Nanopore Technologies' native long-read sequencing. Telo-seq resolves telomere shortening in five population doubling increments and reveals intrasample, chromosome arm-specific, allele-specific telomere length heterogeneity. Telo-seq can reliably discriminate between telomerase- and ALT-positive cancer cell lines. Thus, Telo-seq is a tool to study telomere biology during development, aging, and cancer at unprecedented resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carly Tyer
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Inc., New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Candy Haggblom
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Jones
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Dai
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Inc., New York, NY, USA
| | - Kelly A Frazer
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0761, USA
| | - Fred H Gage
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Sissel Juul
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Inc., New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott Hickey
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Inc., New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jan Karlseder
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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5
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Teplitz GM, Pasquier E, Bonnell E, De Laurentiis E, Bartle L, Lucier JF, Sholes S, Greider CW, Wellinger RJ. A mechanism for telomere-specific telomere length regulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598646. [PMID: 38915611 PMCID: PMC11195199 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Telomeric DNA, composed of short, direct repeats, is of crucial importance for chromosome stability. Due to intrinsic problems with replicating this DNA, the repeat tracts shorten at each cell division. Once repeat tracts become critically short, a telomeric stress signal induces cellular senescence and division arrest, which eventually may lead to devastating age-related degenerative diseases associated with dysfunctional telomers. Conversely, maintenance of telomere length by telomerase upregulation is a hallmark of cancer. Therefore, telomere length is a critical determinant of telomere function. How telomere length is established and molecular mechanisms for telomere-specific length regulation remained unknown. Here we show that subtelomeric chromatin is a determinant for how telomere equilibrium set-length is established in cis. The results demonstrate that telomerase recruitment mediated by the telomere-associated Sir4 protein is modulated on chromosome 3L in a telomere-specific way. Increased Sir4 abundance on subtelomeric heterochromatin of this specific telomere leads to telomere lengthening of only that telomere in cis, but not at other telomeres. Therefore, this work describes a mechanism for a how telomere-specific repeat tract length can be established. Further, our results will force the evaluation of telomere length away from a generalized view to a more telomere-specific consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela M. Teplitz
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Emeline Pasquier
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Current Address: CNRS-UMR9019, Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif, France
| | - Erin Bonnell
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Evelina De Laurentiis
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Louise Bartle
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Current Address: School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, Australia
| | - Jean-François Lucier
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke Canada
| | - Samantha Sholes
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Current Address: Merck & Co., 770 Sumneytown Pike, West Point, USA
| | - Carol W. Greider
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Raymund J. Wellinger
- Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
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6
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Hinchie AM, Sanford SL, Loughridge KE, Sutton RM, Parikh AH, Gil Silva AA, Sullivan DI, Chun-On P, Morrell MR, McDyer JF, Opresko PL, Alder JK. A persistent variant telomere sequence in a human pedigree. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4681. [PMID: 38824190 PMCID: PMC11144197 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The telomere sequence, TTAGGG, is conserved across all vertebrates and plays an essential role in suppressing the DNA damage response by binding a set of proteins termed shelterin. Changes in the telomere sequence impair shelterin binding, initiate a DNA damage response, and are toxic to cells. Here we identify a family with a variant in the telomere template sequence of telomerase, the enzyme responsible for telomere elongation, that led to a non-canonical telomere sequence. The variant is inherited across at least one generation and one family member reports no significant medical concerns despite ~9% of their telomeres converting to the novel sequence. The variant template disrupts telomerase repeat addition processivity and decreased the binding of the telomere-binding protein POT1. Despite these disruptions, the sequence is readily incorporated into cellular chromosomes. Incorporation of a variant sequence prevents POT1-mediated inhibition of telomerase suggesting that incorporation of a variant sequence may influence telomere addition. These findings demonstrate that telomeres can tolerate substantial degeneracy while remaining functional and provide insights as to how incorporation of a non-canonical telomere sequence might alter telomere length dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Hinchie
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samantha L Sanford
- Environmental and Occupational Health Department, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kelly E Loughridge
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rachel M Sutton
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anishka H Parikh
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Agustin A Gil Silva
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel I Sullivan
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Pattra Chun-On
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matthew R Morrell
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - John F McDyer
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Patricia L Opresko
- Environmental and Occupational Health Department, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Pharmacology and Chemical Biology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan K Alder
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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7
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Karimian K, Groot A, Huso V, Kahidi R, Tan KT, Sholes S, Keener R, McDyer JF, Alder JK, Li H, Rechtsteiner A, Greider CW. Human telomere length is chromosome end-specific and conserved across individuals. Science 2024; 384:533-539. [PMID: 38603523 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado0431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Short telomeres cause age-related disease, and long telomeres contribute to cancer; however, the mechanisms regulating telomere length are unclear. We developed a nanopore-based method, which we call Telomere Profiling, to determine telomere length at nearly single-nucleotide resolution. Mapping telomere reads to chromosome ends showed chromosome end-specific length distributions that could differ by more than six kilobases. Examination of telomere lengths in 147 individuals revealed that certain chromosome ends were consistently longer or shorter. The same rank order was found in newborn cord blood, suggesting that telomere length is determined at birth and that chromosome end-specific telomere length differences are maintained as telomeres shorten with age. Telomere Profiling makes precision investigation of telomere length widely accessible for laboratory, clinical, and drug discovery efforts and will allow deeper insights into telomere biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayarash Karimian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aljona Groot
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Vienna Huso
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ramin Kahidi
- Health Sciences Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kar-Tong Tan
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Sholes
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Keener
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John F McDyer
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan K Alder
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andreas Rechtsteiner
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Carol W Greider
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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8
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Su C, Chandradoss KR, Malachowski T, Boya R, Ryu HS, Brennand KJ, Phillips-Cremins JE. MASTR-seq: Multiplexed Analysis of Short Tandem Repeats with sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591790. [PMID: 38746155 PMCID: PMC11092654 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
More than 60 human disorders have been linked to unstable expansion of short tandem repeat (STR) tracts. STR length and the extent of DNA methylation is linked to disease pathology and can be mosaic in a cell type-specific manner in several repeat expansion disorders. Mosaic phenomenon have been difficult to study to date due to technical bias intrinsic to repeat sequences and the need for multi-modal measurements at single-allele resolution. Nanopore long-read sequencing accurately measures STR length and DNA methylation in the same single molecule but is cost prohibitive for studies assessing a target locus across multiple experimental conditions or patient samples. Here, we describe MASTR-seq, M ultiplexed A nalysis of S hort T andem R epeats, for cost-effective, high-throughput, accurate, multi-modal measurements of DNA methylation and STR genotype at single-allele resolution. MASTR-seq couples long-read sequencing, Cas9-mediated target enrichment, and PCR-free multiplexed barcoding to achieve a >ten-fold increase in on-target read mapping for 8-12 pooled samples in a single MinION flow cell. We provide a detailed experimental protocol and computational tools and present evidence that MASTR-seq quantifies tract length and DNA methylation status for CGG and CAG STR loci in normal-length and mutation-length human cell lines. The MASTR-seq protocol takes approximately eight days for experiments and one additional day for data processing and analyses. Key points We provide a protocol for MASTR-seq: M ultiplexed A nalysis of S hort T andem R epeats using Cas9-mediated target enrichment and PCR-free, multiplexed nanopore sequencing. MASTR-seq achieves a >10-fold increase in on-target read proportion for highly repetitive, technically inaccessible regions of the genome relevant for human health and disease.MASTR-seq allows for high-throughput, efficient, accurate, and cost-effective measurement of STR length and DNA methylation in the same single allele for up to 8-12 samples in parallel in one Nanopore MinION flow cell.
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9
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Fernández-Varas B, Manguan-García C, Rodriguez-Centeno J, Mendoza-Lupiáñez L, Calatayud J, Perona R, Martín-Martínez M, Gutierrez-Rodriguez M, Benítez-Buelga C, Sastre L. Clinical mutations in the TERT and TERC genes coding for telomerase components induced oxidative stress, DNA damage at telomeres and cell apoptosis besides decreased telomerase activity. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:818-834. [PMID: 38641551 PMCID: PMC11031360 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures at the end of chromosomes that maintain their integrity. Mutations in genes coding for proteins involved in telomere protection and elongation produce diseases such as dyskeratosis congenita or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis known as telomeropathies. These diseases are characterized by premature telomere shortening, increased DNA damage and oxidative stress. Genetic diagnosis of telomeropathy patients has identified mutations in the genes TERT and TERC coding for telomerase components but the functional consequences of many of these mutations still have to be experimentally demonstrated. The activity of twelve TERT and five TERC mutants, five of them identified in Spanish patients, has been analyzed. TERT and TERC mutants were expressed in VA-13 human cells that express low telomerase levels and the activity induced was analyzed. The production of reactive oxygen species, DNA oxidation and TRF2 association at telomeres, DNA damage response and cell apoptosis were determined. Most mutations presented decreased telomerase activity, as compared to wild-type TERT and TERC. In addition, the expression of several TERT and TERC mutants induced oxidative stress, DNA oxidation, DNA damage, decreased recruitment of the shelterin component TRF2 to telomeres and increased apoptosis. These observations might indicate that the increase in DNA damage and oxidative stress observed in cells from telomeropathy patients is dependent on their TERT or TERC mutations. Therefore, analysis of the effect of TERT and TERC mutations of unknown function on DNA damage and oxidative stress could be of great utility to determine the possible pathogenicity of these variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Fernández-Varas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Sols/Morreale CSIC/UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Manguan-García
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Sols/Morreale CSIC/UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III. C. Melchor Fernandez de Almagro, 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Rodriguez-Centeno
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Sols/Morreale CSIC/UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Mendoza-Lupiáñez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Sols/Morreale CSIC/UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquin Calatayud
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química inorgánica. ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, C.P. 28933 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario Perona
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III. C. Melchor Fernandez de Almagro, 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Calle Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Carlos Benítez-Buelga
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Sols/Morreale CSIC/UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Leandro Sastre
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Sols/Morreale CSIC/UAM, Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III. C. Melchor Fernandez de Almagro, 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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10
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Frydrychová RČ, Konopová B, Peska V, Brejcha M, Sábová M. Telomeres and telomerase: active but complex players in life-history decisions. Biogerontology 2024; 25:205-226. [PMID: 37610666 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10060-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Studies on human telomeres have established that telomeres exert a significant influence on lifespan and health of organisms. However, recent research has indicated that the original idea that telomeres affect lifespan in a universal and central manner across all eukaryotic species is an oversimplification. Indeed, findings from a variety of animal species revealed that the role of telomere biology in aging is more subtle and intricate than previously recognized. Here, we show how telomere biology varies depending on the taxon. We also show how telomere biology corresponds to basic life history traits and affects the life table of a species and investments in growth, body size, reproduction, and lifespan; telomeres are hypothesized to shape evolutionary perspectives for species in an active but complex manner. Our evaluation is based on telomere biology data from many examples from throughout the animal kingdom that vary according to the degree of organismal complexity and life history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radmila Čapková Frydrychová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Barbora Konopová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslav Brejcha
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michala Sábová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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11
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Kordowitzki P, Graczyk S, Mechsner S, Sehouli J. Shedding Light on the Interaction Between Rif1 and Telomeres in Ovarian Cancer. Aging Dis 2024; 15:535-545. [PMID: 37548940 PMCID: PMC10917528 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer, more precisely high-grade serous ovarian cancer, is one of the most lethal age-independent gynecologic malignancies in women worldwide, regardless of age. There is mounting evidence that there is a link between telomeres and the RIF1 protein and the proliferation of cancer cells. Telomeres are hexameric (TTAGGG) tandem repeats at the tip of chromosomes that shorten as somatic cells divide, limiting cell proliferation and serving as an important barrier in preventing cancer. RIF1 (Replication Time Regulation Factor 1) plays, among other factors, an important role in the regulation of telomere length. Interestingly, RIF1 appears to influence the DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway. However, detailed knowledge regarding the interplay between RIF1 and telomeres and their degree of engagement in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is still elusive, despite the fact that such knowledge could be of relevance in clinical practice to find novel biomarkers. In this review, we provide an update of recent literature to elucidate the relation between telomere biology and the RIF1 protein during the development of ovarian cancer in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kordowitzki
- Department of Preclinical and Basic Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
- Department of Gynecology including Center of oncological surgery (CVK) and Department of Gynaecology (CBF), European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charite, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Szymon Graczyk
- Department of Preclinical and Basic Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.
| | - Sylvia Mechsner
- Department of Gynecology including Center of oncological surgery (CVK) and Department of Gynaecology (CBF), European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charite, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jalid Sehouli
- Department of Gynecology including Center of oncological surgery (CVK) and Department of Gynaecology (CBF), European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charite, Berlin, Germany.
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12
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Bartle L, Wellinger RJ. Methods that shaped telomerase research. Biogerontology 2024; 25:249-263. [PMID: 37903970 PMCID: PMC10998806 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase, the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) responsible for telomere maintenance, has a complex life. Complex in that it is made of multiple proteins and an RNA, and complex because it undergoes many changes, and passes through different cell compartments. As such, many methods have been developed to discover telomerase components, delve deep into understanding its structure and function and to figure out how telomerase biology ultimately relates to human health and disease. While some old gold-standard methods are still key for determining telomere length and measuring telomerase activity, new technologies are providing promising new ways to gain detailed information that we have never had access to before. Therefore, we thought it timely to briefly review the methods that have revealed information about the telomerase RNP and outline some of the remaining questions that could be answered using new methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Bartle
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Applied Cancer Research Pavilion, 3201 rue Jean-Mignault, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Raymund J Wellinger
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Applied Cancer Research Pavilion, 3201 rue Jean-Mignault, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada.
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13
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Pepke ML. Telomere length is not a useful tool for chronological age estimation in animals. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2300187. [PMID: 38047504 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are short repetitive DNA sequences capping the ends of chromosomes. Telomere shortening occurs during cell division and may be accelerated by oxidative damage or ameliorated by telomere maintenance mechanisms. Consequently, telomere length changes with age, which was recently confirmed in a large meta-analysis across vertebrates. However, based on the correlation between telomere length and age, it was concluded that telomere length can be used as a tool for chronological age estimation in animals. Correlation should not be confused with predictability, and the current data and studies suggest that telomeres cannot be used to reliably predict individual chronological age. There are biological reasons for why there is large individual variation in telomere dynamics, which is mainly due to high susceptibility to a wide range of environmental, but also genetic factors, rendering telomeres unfeasible as a tool for age estimation. The use of telomeres for chronological age estimation is largely a misguided effort, but its occasional reappearance in the literature raises concerns that it will mislead resources in wildlife conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Pepke
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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14
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Zavala-Paez M, Holliday J, Hamilton JA. Leveraging whole-genome sequencing to estimate telomere length in plants. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13899. [PMID: 37966130 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Changes in telomere length are increasingly used to indicate species' response to environmental stress across diverse taxa. Despite this broad use, few studies have explored telomere length in plants. Thus, evaluation of new approaches for measuring telomeres in plants is needed. Rapid advances in sequencing approaches and bioinformatic tools now allow estimation of telomere content from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data, a proxy for telomere length. While telomere content has been quantified extensively using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and WGS in humans, no study to date has compared the effectiveness of WGS in estimating telomere length in plants relative to qPCR approaches. In this study, we use 100 Populus clones re-sequenced using short-read Illumina sequencing to quantify telomere length comparing three different bioinformatic approaches (Computel, K-seek and TRIP) in addition to qPCR. Overall, telomere length estimates varied across different bioinformatic approaches, but were highly correlated across methods for individual genotypes. A positive correlation was observed between WGS estimates and qPCR, however, Computel estimates exhibited the greatest correlation. Computel incorporates genome coverage into telomere length calculations, suggesting that genome coverage is likely important to telomere length quantification when using WGS data. Overall, telomere estimates from WGS provided greater precision and accuracy of telomere length estimates relative to qPCR. The findings suggest WGS is a promising approach for assessing telomere length and, as the field of telomere ecology evolves, may provide added value to assaying response to biotic and abiotic environments for plants needed to accelerate plant breeding and conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Zavala-Paez
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jason Holliday
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jill A Hamilton
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
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15
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Karimian K, Groot A, Huso V, Kahidi R, Tan KT, Sholes S, Keener R, McDyer JF, Alder JK, Li H, Rechtsteiner A, Greider CW. Human telomere length is chromosome specific and conserved across individuals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.21.572870. [PMID: 38187739 PMCID: PMC10769321 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Short telomeres cause age-related disease and long telomeres predispose to cancer; however, the mechanisms regulating telomere length are unclear. To probe these mechanisms, we developed a nanopore sequencing method, Telomere Profiling, that is easy to implement, precise, and cost effective with broad applications in research and the clinic. We sequenced telomeres from individuals with short telomere syndromes and found similar telomere lengths to the clinical FlowFISH assay. We mapped telomere reads to specific chromosome end and identified both chromosome end-specific and haplotype-specific telomere length distributions. In the T2T HG002 genome, where the average telomere length is 5kb, we found a remarkable 6kb difference in lengths between some telomeres. Further, we found that specific chromosome ends were consistently shorter or longer than the average length across 147 individuals. The presence of conserved chromosome end-specific telomere lengths suggests there are new paradigms in telomere biology that are yet to be explored. Understanding the mechanisms regulating length will allow deeper insights into telomere biology that can lead to new approaches to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayarash Karimian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Aljona Groot
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
| | - Vienna Huso
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Kar-Tong Tan
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, MA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute, Cancer Program, Cambridge, MA
| | - Samantha Sholes
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Present address Merck & Co., 770 Sumneytown Pike, West Point, PA 19486
| | - Rebecca Keener
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - John F. McDyer
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Jonathan K. Alder
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Heng Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Data Sciences, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Boston, MA
| | - Andreas Rechtsteiner
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
| | - Carol W. Greider
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
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16
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Ferrer A, Stephens ZD, Kocher JPA. Experimental and Computational Approaches to Measure Telomere Length: Recent Advances and Future Directions. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2023; 18:284-291. [PMID: 37947937 PMCID: PMC10709248 DOI: 10.1007/s11899-023-00717-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The length of telomeres, protective structures at the chromosome ends, is a well-established biomarker for pathological conditions including multisystemic syndromes called telomere biology disorders. Approaches to measure telomere length (TL) differ on whether they estimate average, distribution, or chromosome-specific TL, and each presents their own advantages and limitations. RECENT FINDINGS The development of long-read sequencing and publication of the telomere-to-telomere human genome reference has allowed for scalable and high-resolution TL estimation in pre-existing sequencing datasets but is still impractical as a dedicated TL test. As sequencing costs continue to fall and strategies for selectively enriching telomere regions prior to sequencing improve, these approaches may become a promising alternative to classic methods. Measurement methods rely on probe hybridization, qPCR or more recently, computational methods using sequencing data. Refinements of existing techniques and new approaches have been recently developed but a test that is accurate, simple, and scalable is still lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ferrer
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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17
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Sanchez SE, Gu J, Golla A, Martin A, Shomali W, Hockemeyer D, Savage SA, Artandi SE. Digital telomere measurement by long-read sequencing distinguishes healthy aging from disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569263. [PMID: 38077053 PMCID: PMC10705489 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length is an important biomarker of organismal aging and cellular replicative potential, but existing measurement methods are limited in resolution and accuracy. Here, we deploy digital telomere measurement by nanopore sequencing to understand how distributions of human telomere length change with age and disease. We measure telomere attrition and de novo elongation with unprecedented resolution in genetically defined populations of human cells, in blood cells from healthy donors and in blood cells from patients with genetic defects in telomere maintenance. We find that human aging is accompanied by a progressive loss of long telomeres and an accumulation of shorter telomeres. In patients with defects in telomere maintenance, the accumulation of short telomeres is more pronounced and correlates with phenotypic severity. We apply machine learning to train a binary classification model that distinguishes healthy individuals from those with telomere biology disorders. This sequencing and bioinformatic pipeline will advance our understanding of telomere maintenance mechanisms and the use of telomere length as a clinical biomarker of aging and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago E. Sanchez
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Stanford University; Stanford CA, USA
| | - Jessica Gu
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anudeep Golla
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Annika Martin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - William Shomali
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dirk Hockemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Sharon A. Savage
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven E. Artandi
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
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18
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Tan KT, Slevin MK, Leibowitz ML, Garrity-Janger M, Li H, Meyerson M. Neotelomeres and Telomere-Spanning Chromosomal Arm Fusions in Cancer Genomes Revealed by Long-Read Sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.30.569101. [PMID: 38077026 PMCID: PMC10705422 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.30.569101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in the structure and location of telomeres are key events in cancer genome evolution. However, previous genomic approaches, unable to span long telomeric repeat arrays, could not characterize the nature of these alterations. Here, we applied both long-read and short-read genome sequencing to assess telomere repeat-containing structures in cancers and cancer cell lines. Using long-read genome sequences that span telomeric repeat arrays, we defined four types of telomere repeat variations in cancer cells: neotelomeres where telomere addition heals chromosome breaks, chromosomal arm fusions spanning telomere repeats, fusions of neotelomeres, and peri-centromeric fusions with adjoined telomere and centromere repeats. Analysis of lung adenocarcinoma genome sequences identified somatic neotelomere and telomere-spanning fusion alterations. These results provide a framework for systematic study of telomeric repeat arrays in cancer genomes, that could serve as a model for understanding the somatic evolution of other repetitive genomic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar-Tong Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michael K. Slevin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for Cancer Genomics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mitchell L. Leibowitz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Max Garrity-Janger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for Cancer Genomics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Lead contact
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19
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Zhang N, Baker EC, Welsh TH, Riley DG. Telomere Dynamics in Livestock. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1389. [PMID: 37997988 PMCID: PMC10669808 DOI: 10.3390/biology12111389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are repeated sequences of nucleotides at the end of chromosomes. They deteriorate across mitotic divisions of a cell. In Homo sapiens this process of lifetime reduction has been shown to correspond with aspects of organismal aging and exposure to stress or other insults. The early impetus to characterize telomere dynamics in livestock related to the concern that aged donor DNA would result in earlier cell senescence and overall aging in cloned animals. Telomere length investigations in dairy cows included breed effects, estimates of additive genetic control (heritability 0.12 to 0.46), and effects of external stressors on telomere degradation across animal life. Evaluation of telomeres with respect to aging has also been conducted in pigs and horses, and there are fewer reports of telomere biology in beef cattle, sheep, and goats. There were minimal associations of telomere length with animal productivity measures. Most, but not all, work in livestock has documented an inverse relationship between peripheral blood cell telomere length and age; that is, a longer telomere length was associated with younger age. Because livestock longevity affects productivity and profitability, the role of tissue-specific telomere attrition in aging may present alternative improvement strategies for genetic improvement while also providing translational biomedical knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.Z.); (T.H.W.J.)
| | - Emilie C. Baker
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX 79016, USA;
| | - Thomas H. Welsh
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.Z.); (T.H.W.J.)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - David G. Riley
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (N.Z.); (T.H.W.J.)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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20
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Smoom R, May CL, Ortiz V, Tigue M, Kolev HM, Rowe M, Reizel Y, Morgan A, Egyes N, Lichtental D, Skordalakes E, Kaestner KH, Tzfati Y. Telomouse-a mouse model with human-length telomeres generated by a single amino acid change in RTEL1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6708. [PMID: 37872177 PMCID: PMC10593777 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42534-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, protect genome integrity and enable cell proliferation. Maintaining optimal telomere length in the germline and throughout life limits the risk of cancer and enables healthy aging. Telomeres in the house mouse, Mus musculus, are about five times longer than human telomeres, limiting the use of this common laboratory animal for studying the contribution of telomere biology to aging and cancer. We identified a key amino acid variation in the helicase RTEL1, naturally occurring in the short-telomere mouse species M. spretus. Introducing this variation into M. musculus is sufficient to reduce the telomere length set point in the germline and generate mice with human-length telomeres. While these mice are fertile and appear healthy, the regenerative capacity of their colonic epithelium is compromised. The engineered Telomouse reported here demonstrates a dominant role of RTEL1 in telomere length regulation and provides a unique model for aging and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riham Smoom
- Department of Genetics, The Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Catherine Lee May
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Vivian Ortiz
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mark Tigue
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Hannah M Kolev
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Melissa Rowe
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yitzhak Reizel
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Ashleigh Morgan
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nachshon Egyes
- Department of Genetics, The Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Dan Lichtental
- Department of Genetics, The Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Emmanuel Skordalakes
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Klaus H Kaestner
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Yehuda Tzfati
- Department of Genetics, The Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel.
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21
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Pizzul P, Rinaldi C, Bonetti D. The multistep path to replicative senescence onset: zooming on triggering and inhibitory events at telomeric DNA. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1250264. [PMID: 37771378 PMCID: PMC10524272 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1250264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Replicative senescence is an essential cellular process playing important physiological functions, but it is better known for its implications in aging, cancer, and other pathologies. One of the main triggers of replicative senescence is telomere shortening and/or its dysfunction and, therefore, a deep understanding of the molecular determinants is crucial. However, replicative senescence is a heterogeneous and hard to study process, especially in mammalian cells, and some important questions still need an answer. These questions concern i) the exact molecular causes triggering replicative senescence, ii) the role of DNA repair mechanisms and iii) the importance of R-loops at telomeres in regulating senescence onset, and iv) the mechanisms underlying the bypass of replicative senescence. In this review, we will report and discuss recent findings about these mechanisms both in mammalian cells and in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Diego Bonetti
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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22
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Chaux F, Agier N, Garrido C, Fischer G, Eberhard S, Xu Z. Telomerase-independent survival leads to a mosaic of complex subtelomere rearrangements in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Genome Res 2023; 33:1582-1598. [PMID: 37580131 PMCID: PMC10620057 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278043.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres and subtelomeres, the genomic regions located at chromosome extremities, are essential for genome stability in eukaryotes. In the absence of the canonical maintenance mechanism provided by telomerase, telomere shortening induces genome instability. The landscape of the ensuing genome rearrangements is not accessible by short-read sequencing. Here, we leverage Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequencing to survey the extensive repertoire of genome rearrangements in telomerase mutants of the model green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii In telomerase-mutant strains grown for hundreds of generations, most chromosome extremities were capped by short telomere sequences that were either recruited de novo from other loci or maintained in a telomerase-independent manner. Other extremities did not end with telomeres but only with repeated subtelomeric sequences. The subtelomeric elements, including rDNA, were massively rearranged and involved in breakage-fusion-bridge cycles, translocations, recombinations, and chromosome circularization. These events were established progressively over time and displayed heterogeneity at the subpopulation level. New telomere-capped extremities composed of sequences originating from more internal genomic regions were associated with high DNA methylation, suggesting that de novo heterochromatin formation contributes to the restoration of chromosome end stability in C. reinhardtii The diversity of alternative strategies present in the same organism to maintain chromosome integrity and the variety of rearrangements found in telomerase mutants are remarkable, and illustrate genome plasticity at short timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Chaux
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Agier
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Clotilde Garrido
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Gilles Fischer
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Stephan Eberhard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7141, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Laboratory of Chloroplast Biology and Light-Sensing in Microalgae, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Zhou Xu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR7238, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, 75005 Paris, France;
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23
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O'Donnell S, Yue JX, Saada OA, Agier N, Caradec C, Cokelaer T, De Chiara M, Delmas S, Dutreux F, Fournier T, Friedrich A, Kornobis E, Li J, Miao Z, Tattini L, Schacherer J, Liti G, Fischer G. Telomere-to-telomere assemblies of 142 strains characterize the genome structural landscape in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nat Genet 2023; 55:1390-1399. [PMID: 37524789 PMCID: PMC10412453 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01459-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Pangenomes provide access to an accurate representation of the genetic diversity of species, both in terms of sequence polymorphisms and structural variants (SVs). Here we generated the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Reference Assembly Panel (ScRAP) comprising reference-quality genomes for 142 strains representing the species' phylogenetic and ecological diversity. The ScRAP includes phased haplotype assemblies for several heterozygous diploid and polyploid isolates. We identified circa (ca.) 4,800 nonredundant SVs that provide a broad view of the genomic diversity, including the dynamics of telomere length and transposable elements. We uncovered frequent cases of complex aneuploidies where large chromosomes underwent large deletions and translocations. We found that SVs can impact gene expression near the breakpoints and substantially contribute to gene repertoire evolution. We also discovered that horizontally acquired regions insert at chromosome ends and can generate new telomeres. Overall, the ScRAP demonstrates the benefit of a pangenome in understanding genome evolution at population scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel O'Donnell
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, Paris, France
| | - Jia-Xing Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Nice, France
| | - Omar Abou Saada
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, GMGM UMR 7156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Nicolas Agier
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, Paris, France
| | - Claudia Caradec
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, GMGM UMR 7156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Cokelaer
- Biomics Technological Platform, Center for Technological Resources and Research (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Computational Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Stéphane Delmas
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, Paris, France
| | - Fabien Dutreux
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, GMGM UMR 7156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Téo Fournier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, GMGM UMR 7156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Friedrich
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, GMGM UMR 7156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Etienne Kornobis
- Biomics Technological Platform, Center for Technological Resources and Research (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Computational Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Nice, France
| | - Zepu Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | | | | | - Gianni Liti
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Nice, France.
| | - Gilles Fischer
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, Paris, France.
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24
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Laufer VA, Glover TW, Wilson TE. Applications of advanced technologies for detecting genomic structural variation. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2023; 792:108475. [PMID: 37931775 PMCID: PMC10792551 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2023.108475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomal structural variation (SV) encompasses a heterogenous class of genetic variants that exerts strong influences on human health and disease. Despite their importance, many structural variants (SVs) have remained poorly characterized at even a basic level, a discrepancy predicated upon the technical limitations of prior genomic assays. However, recent advances in genomic technology can identify and localize SVs accurately, opening new questions regarding SV risk factors and their impacts in humans. Here, we first define and classify human SVs and their generative mechanisms, highlighting characteristics leveraged by various SV assays. We next examine the first-ever gapless assembly of the human genome and the technical process of assembling it, which required third-generation sequencing technologies to resolve structurally complex loci. The new portions of that "telomere-to-telomere" and subsequent pangenome assemblies highlight aspects of SV biology likely to develop in the near-term. We consider the strengths and limitations of the most promising new SV technologies and when they or longstanding approaches are best suited to meeting salient goals in the study of human SV in population-scale genomics research, clinical, and public health contexts. It is a watershed time in our understanding of human SV when new approaches are expected to fundamentally change genomic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Laufer
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Thomas W Glover
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Thomas E Wilson
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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25
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Wang C, Gu Y, Zhou J, Zang J, Ling X, Li H, Hu L, Xu B, Zhang B, Qin N, Lv H, Duan W, Jiang Y, He Y, Jiang T, Chen C, Han X, Zhou K, Xu B, Liu X, Tao S, Jiang Y, Du J, Dai J, Diao F, Lu C, Guo X, Huo R, Liu J, Lin Y, Xia Y, Jin G, Ma H, Shen H, Hu Z. Leukocyte telomere length in children born following blastocyst-stage embryo transfer. Nat Med 2022; 28:2646-2653. [PMID: 36522605 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-02108-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Perinatal and childhood adverse outcomes associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been reported, but it remains unknown whether the initial leukocyte telomere length (LTL), which is an indicator of age-related phenotypes in later life, is affected. Here, we estimated the LTLs of 1,137 individuals from 365 families, including 202 children conceived by ART and 205 children conceived spontaneously from two centers of the China National Birth Cohort, using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. One-year-old children conceived by ART had shorter LTLs than those conceived spontaneously (beta, -0.36; P = 1.29 × 10-3) after adjusting for plurality, sex and other potential confounding factors. In particular, blastocyst-stage embryo transfer was associated with shorter LTL (beta, -0.54, P = 2.69 × 10-3) in children conceived by ART. The association was validated in 586 children conceived by ART from five centers using different LTL quantification methods (that is, WGS or qPCR). Blastocyst-stage embryo transfer resulted in shorter telomere lengths in mice at postnatal day 1 (P = 2.10 × 10-4) and mice at 6 months (P = 0.042). In vitro culturing of mice embryos did not result in shorter telomere lengths in the late cleavage stage, but it did suppress telomerase activity in the early blastocyst stage. Our findings demonstrate the need to evaluate the long-term consequences of ART, particularly for aging-related phenotypes, in children conceived by ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Bioinformatics, School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yayun Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Zang
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiufeng Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Reproduction, The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Reproductive Genetic Center, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingmin Hu
- Department of Reproduction, Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bei Xu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medicine College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Na Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weiwei Duan
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuanlin He
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Biostatistics, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Congcong Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiumei Han
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kun Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shiyao Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yangqian Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiangbo Du
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juncheng Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feiyang Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chuncheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuejiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ran Huo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiayin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yankai Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guangfu Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongxia Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongbing Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhibin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. .,Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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26
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Abstract
Telomere biology was first studied in maize, ciliates, yeast, and mice, and in recent decades, it has informed understanding of common disease mechanisms with broad implications for patient care. Short telomere syndromes are the most prevalent premature aging disorders, with prominent phenotypes affecting the lung and hematopoietic system. Less understood are a newly recognized group of cancer-prone syndromes that are associated with mutations that lengthen telomeres. A large body of new data from Mendelian genetics and epidemiology now provides an opportunity to reconsider paradigms related to the role of telomeres in human aging and cancer, and in some cases, the findings diverge from what was interpreted from model systems. For example, short telomeres have been considered potent drivers of genome instability, but age-associated solid tumors are rare in individuals with short telomere syndromes, and T cell immunodeficiency explains their spectrum. More commonly, short telomeres promote clonal hematopoiesis, including somatic reversion, providing a new leukemogenesis paradigm that is independent of genome instability. Long telomeres, on the other hand, which extend the cellular life span in vitro, are now appreciated to be the most common shared germline risk factor for cancer in population studies. Through this contemporary lens, I revisit here the role of telomeres in human aging, focusing on how short and long telomeres drive cancer evolution but through distinct mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Armanios
- Departments of Oncology, Genetic Medicine, Pathology, and Molecular Biology and Genetics; Telomere Center at Johns Hopkins; and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;
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27
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Borges G, Criqui M, Harrington L. Tieing together loose ends: telomere instability in cancer and aging. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:3380-3396. [PMID: 35920280 PMCID: PMC9490142 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance is essential for maintaining genome integrity in both normal and cancer cells. Without functional telomeres, chromosomes lose their protective structure and undergo fusion and breakage events that drive further genome instability, including cell arrest or death. One means by which this loss can be overcome in stem cells and cancer cells is via re‐addition of G‐rich telomeric repeats by the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). During aging of somatic tissues, however, insufficient telomerase expression leads to a proliferative arrest called replicative senescence, which is triggered when telomeres reach a critically short threshold that induces a DNA damage response. Cancer cells express telomerase but do not entirely escape telomere instability as they often possess short telomeres; hence there is often selection for genetic alterations in the TERT promoter that result in increased telomerase expression. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the consequences of telomere instability in cancer and aging, and outline the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in exploiting the reliance of cells on telomere maintenance for preserving genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Borges
- University of Montreal, Molecular Biology Programme, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, 2950 chemin Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4
| | - Mélanie Criqui
- University of Montreal, Molecular Biology Programme, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, 2950 chemin Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4
| | - Lea Harrington
- University of Montreal, Molecular Biology Programme, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, 2950 chemin Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4.,Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4
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28
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Miga KH, Sullivan BA. Expanding studies of chromosome structure and function in the era of T2T genomics. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:R198-R205. [PMID: 34302168 PMCID: PMC8631062 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent accomplishment of a truly complete human genome has afforded a new view of chromosome structure and function that was limited 30 years ago. Here, we discuss the expansion of knowledge from the early cytological studies of the genome to the current high-resolution genomic, epigenetic and functional maps that have been achieved by recent technology and computational advances. These studies have revealed unexpected complexities of genome organization and function and uncovered new views of fundamental chromosomal elements. Comprehensive genomic maps will enable accurate diagnosis of human diseases caused by altered chromosome structure and function, facilitate development of chromosome-based therapies and shape the future of preventative medicine and healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen H Miga
- UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Beth A Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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