“The Fourth Helix” is a reference to the DNA structure of telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of our chromosomes, made up of many repeats of the DNA sequence TTAGGG. Bound with proteins, telomeric DNA assumes a complex conformation which protects the chromosomal DNA from degradation. An often-used analogy compares telomeres to the plastic bits at the ends of a shoelace which keep the fabric from unraveling.
As we age, our telomeres shorten in a process that we’ll describe in more detail in a future post. Suffice it to say that the shortening of our telomeres is believed to be part of the process of cellular senescence—the aging of our cells.
The four-helix structure formed at the end of our telomeres is called a “G-quadruplex.” The logo of The Fourth Helix is a graphic representation of the coming together of the four helices of a telomere and the coming together of a new community of science writers and readers.
In the world of science and technology, the three prongs or “helices” of innovation are the university, industry and government. These three helices leave out an important partner in science—the public. You, the public, are the fourth helix—the partners our innovators need to both inspire and sustain scientific progress. You are an important part of The Fourth Helix community, and we promise not to forget that fact.
