Dr. Price's research focuses on the structure of telomeres and how this structure is maintained as cells divide. Telomeres are the protective DNA-protein complexes that cap the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. They are essential for genome stability because they prevent end-to-end fusion of chromosomes and facilitate the complete replication of the terminal DNA sequences. One of her laboratory's goals is to determine the function of the proteins that are present at vertebrate telomeres. By using a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches, they are examining how the individual telomere proteins participate in telomere length regulation, telomere signaling and telomere end protection. The genetic approach involves making gene disruptions of known telomere proteins and analyzing the phenotype of the null cell lines and cell lines that express mutant versions of the proteins. They then determine what happens to telomere structure and analyze whether the mutations cause cell cycle effects, senescence or apoptosis. Another goal in the laboratory is to understand the mechanism of telomere replication. When telomeric DNA is replicated, most of the telomere is copied by the regular DNA replication machinery. Telomerase then maintains telomere length by adding extra repeats to the telomeric G-strand. The lab is interested in how the addition of telomeric repeats is coordinated with leading- and lagging-strand synthesis. They are also studying how telomerase is recruited to the telomere and how the telomeric DNA is processed to generate 3' G-strand overhangs. These overhangs are the substrate for telomerase and they are required to assemble the protective DNA-protein cap.

For more information see the Price lab web site at http://homepages.uc.edu/~pricecm/