STEEx, a boundary between the world of quiescence and the vegetative cycle.

Telomere maintenance mechanism is poorly studied in quiescence, a reversible non-proliferative state. We previously described in fission yeast a new mode of repair of telomeres named STEEx, that specifically operates in post-mitotic cells harboring eroded telomeres. This mechanism, promoted by transcription-induced telomeric recombination, prevents cells to exit properly from quiescence, suggesting that STEEx act as an anti-proliferative barrier. Here, we further showed that STEEx are genetically controlled by the Tel1ATM- and Rad3ATR- dependent DDR pathways. We discussed the possibility that STEEx represent a boundary between quiescence and vegetative cycle.