Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres in Yeast: Old Questions and New Approaches.

Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a homologous recombination-based pathway utilized by 10-15% of cancer cells that allows cells to maintain their telomeres in the absence of telomerase. This pathway was originally discovered in the yeast and, for decades, yeast has served as a robust model to study ALT. Using yeast as a model, two types of ALT (-dependent and -independent) have been described.