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In this Perspective, the authors discuss how recent innovations in single-molecule fluorescence approaches now permit protein dynamics to be monitored in increasingly complex biological systems and cellular environments.
Transcription of telomeres generates long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) composed of telomeric repeat sequences (TERRA) that hybridize with telomeric DNA and are components of telomeric heterochromatin. This Perspective considers the physiological roles of TERRA in telomere homeostasis and proposes that TERRA's functions are determined by the state of its telomere targets.
Telomerase recruitment and activity are regulated by telomere-bound proteins that protect the chromosome ends. In this Perspective, the authors discuss recent advances in understanding how the interactions of shelterin and telomerase components contribute to telomere-length homeostasis.
New methods permit genomic mapping of oxidized methylcytosines at single-base resolution and suggest new regulatory functions for 5-methylcytocine (5mC) derivatives 5hmC, 5fC and 5caC in the mammalian genome.
In this Perspective, Spitale, Chang and Chu discuss recent technological advances that will aid in the functional characterization of long noncoding RNAs, which up to now has posed a substantial challenge.
