The telomerase reverse transcriptase is limiting and necessary for telomerase function in vivo

Mammalian telomerase is essential for the maintenance of telomere length [1–5]. Its catalytic core comprises a reverse transcriptase component (TERT) and an RNA component. While the biochemical role of mammalian TERT is well established [6–11], it is unknown whether it is sufficient for telomere-length maintenance, chromosome stability or other cellular processes. Cells from mice in which the mTert gene had been disrupted showed progressive loss of telomere DNA, a phenotype similar to cells in which the gene encoding the telomerase RNA component (mTR) has been disrupted [1,12]. On prolonged growth, mTert-deficient embryonic stem (ES) cells exhibited genomic instability, aneuploidy and telomeric fusions. ES cells heterozygous for the mTert disruption also showed telomere attrition, a phenotype that differs from heterozygous mTR cells [12]. Thus, telomere maintenance in mammals is carried out by a single, limiting TERT

DNA repair factors and telomere-chromosome integrity in mammalian cells

10.1159/000077475Cytogenetic and Genome Research1041-4116-122CGRY

Tumor cell redox state and mitochondria at the center of the non-canonical activity of telomerase reverse transcriptase

10.1016/j.mam.2009.12.001Molecular Aspects of Medicine31121-2

Ectopic mTERT expression in mouse embryonic stem cells does not affect differentiation but confers resistance to differentiation- and stress-induced p53-dependent apoptosis

10.1242/jcs.01673Journal of Cell Science1184819-829JNCS

Isoform-specific activation of protein kinase c in irradiated human fibroblasts and their bystander cells

10.1016/j.biocel.2007.07.002International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology401125-13

DNA damage and p53-mediated growth arrest in human cells treated with platinum nanoparticles

10.2217/nnm.09.85Nanomedicine5151-6

Oxidative damage induced genotoxic effects in human fibroblasts from Xeroderma Pigmentosum group A patients

10.1016/j.biocel.2008.05.009International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology40112583-259

Health impact and safety of engineered nanomaterials

10.1039/c0cc05271jChemical Communications47257025-7038CHCO

Telomere-mediated chromosomal instability triggers TLR4 induced inflammation and death in mice

10.1371/journal.pone.0011873PLoS ONE57e1187