en.shafaqna.com · Feb 16, 2026 · Collected from GDELT
Published: 20260216T213000Z
February 16, 2026 | 6:31 PMFebruary 16, 2026 | 7:32 PM0 Shafaqna English- Scientists have identified a crucial protein that plays a previously unknown role in maintaining the protective caps on our chromosomes, called telomeres. A malfunction in this protein, known as RPA, leads to dangerously short telomeres, explaining the cause of certain deadly cancers and bone marrow disorders that were until now a mystery. Published in Science, the University of Wisconsin-Madison research used the AI tool AlphaFold to predict and then experimentally confirm that RPA is essential for stimulating telomerase, the enzyme that rebuilds telomeres. When RPA doesn’t work properly, telomerase cannot maintain telomere length, leading to genomic instability and disease. The discovery provides a clear biochemical explanation for patients with severe “short telomere” disorders like aplastic anemia and acute myeloid leukemia, whose conditions could not be previously diagnosed at the molecular level. “Now we have an answer,” said lead researcher Ci Ji Lim. Since the publication, clinicians worldwide have contacted the team to see if their patients’ illnesses stem from RPA mutations. The finding opens new avenues for precise genetic diagnosis and deepens the understanding of how chromosome stability is linked to human health and disease. Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison www.shafaqna.com