Telomeres, are the ends of chromosomes and consist of short, tandemly repeated [(TTAGGG)n] DNA sequences which are associated with various proteins. Telomerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, is bound to an RNA template with a sequence complementary to this telomeric repeat sequence. This ribonucleoprotein complex consisting of the telomerase and the RNA template catalyzes the in vitro and in vivo synthesis of the telmeric repeats. The telomerase activity and the RNA components of the ribonucleoprotein complex has been purified in yeast, ciliates, mouse, and human. Harrington et al report in the Feb 14, 97 issue of Science, the identification and cloning of a mammalian protein that is associated with telomerase which they designated as "telomerase-associated protein 1 or TP1". The association of the TP1 with telomerase was shown by immunoprecipitating the telomerase activity from the cell extracts by an antiserum to TP1. Extensive amino acid similarity to the Tetrahymena telomerase protein p80 shows that telomerase-associated proteins are concerved from ciliates to humans.

LOCI:

LOCUS HSU86136 8665 bp mRNA
MMU86137 8159 bp mRNA

REFERENCE:

Harrington,L., McPhail,T., Mar,V., Zhou,W., Oulton,R., Bass,M.B., Arruda,I. and Robinson,M.O.:A mammalian telomerase-associated protein Science 275, 973-977 (1997)

RESOURCES:

Telomerase and Cancer: Diagnostics, Prognostics and Therapeutic Implications
Telomere & Telomerase
Telomere (GenoBase : EMBL Keyword Index)
GenLink Multimedia Telomere Resource
The Life Extension Foundation
Cloned Telomerase Gene Sequences
Search the Telomere Literature Database
Telomere Researchers Directory
Mus musculus telomerase RNA component gene
hTR=RNA component of telomerase [human, 293 cells, Genomic, 962 nt]
Lists of NIH Funded Research Groups [Gopher Search]: Telomere
Lists of NIH Funded Research Groups [Gopher Search]: Telomerase

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