REVIEW: Yeast Telosome Complex: Components and Their Functions

P. V. Dmitriev, A. V. Petrov, and O. A. Dontsova^*

School of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119899, Russia; fax: (7-095) 939-3181; E-mail: dontsova@genebee.msu.su

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received September 11, 2002; Revision received November 28, 2002

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Telomeres are multi-component DNA-protein complexes protecting linear chromosome termini against degradation and fusion. Telomeres and their components are involved in many essential processes: control of cell division number, regulation of transcription, reparation. They are necessary for correct chromosome segregation during cell division. Telomere protein content and DNA length are under control of different factors, such as components of replication and reparation machinery and cell division cycle kinases. Here we discuss the participation of components of yeast telomere (telosome complex) in different cellular processes, telomeric DNA length regulation pathways, and some issues of telosome evolution.

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KEY WORDS: telomere, telomerase, telosome complex, evolution, Rap1p, hRap1, KU, SIR, RIF, Cdc13p, Est1p, Tbf1p, TRF

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