2018 participants
Sarah Mearns
Telomeres are structures capping human and yeast chromosomes. These repetitive structures protect the internal regions of chromosomes which carry the genetic information and are affected in many human diseases
By studying yeast, a fast growing eukaryotic organism, I examined telomere length inheritance. The aim was to see what happens to telomere length in offspring that inherit abnormal telomeres.
I mated haploid parental strains (similar to sperm and eggs in humans) to create 9 diploids. The parents had different length telomeres (normal, long and short), and the diploids had all possible combinations. Diploids were grown for multiple generations, their DNA extracted at many time points, and telomere length measured.
Telomere length inheritance in budding yeast is complex and many patterns can be seen. In humans the patterns are likely to be at least as complex. My work has implications for the inheritance of telomere related diseases.
Funding source: Wellcome Trust
Supervisor: Professor David Lydall