Some cancer cells lacking telomerase activity extend their telomeres via an alternative, recombination-based mechanism, termed ALT. A new study shows that depletion of histone chaperone ASF1 can induce ALT in both primary and cancer cells, suggesting that the ALT pathway may be triggered by changes in chromatin state.
- Roderick J O'Sullivan
- Nausica Arnoult
- Jan Karlseder