Abstract |
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein polymerase which adds TTAGGG repeats to telomeric ends. Recent studies reported the reverse transcription enzyme activity mostly from the catalytic subunit (TERT) of the enzyme complex. Both human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) and mouse telomerase catalytic subunit (mTERT) had been previously cloned but not rat telomerase catalytic subunit rTERT. In this study, the rTERT functional domains were cloned and was found that its function resemble to mouse and human telomerase. In addition, chicken and pig telomerase activity profile were studied and its enzyme activity is related to its proliferation capability of individual tissues. However, its catalytic subunit does not like mouse, rat and human cases that the telomerase activity could not reconstituted by the in-vitro transfection of mTERT and hTERT cloned vectors. Here we demonstrated that rTERT is similar to mTERT and hTERT but not pig and chicken telomerase. Further studies are needed to verify the malignancy characteristics because nowadays artificial organs/tissues from these animals are used for the transplantation to human body.
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Authors | Stephen C H Wong, Lee Lee Ong, Connie P N Er, Shujun Gao, Hanry Yu, Jimmy B Y So |
Journal | Life sciences
(Life Sci)
Vol. 73
Issue 21
Pg. 2749-60
(Oct 10 2003)
ISSN: 0024-3205 [Print] Netherlands |
PMID | 13679242
(Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- DNA-Binding Proteins
- telomerase RNA
- RNA
- TERT protein, human
- Telomerase
- Tert protein, mouse
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Topics |
- Animals
- Catalytic Domain
(genetics)
- Cells, Cultured
- Chick Embryo
- Cloning, Molecular
- DNA-Binding Proteins
- Embryo, Mammalian
(cytology, enzymology)
- Fibroblasts
(cytology, enzymology)
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Humans
- Mice
- RNA
(metabolism)
- Rats
- Species Specificity
- Swine
- Telomerase
(genetics, metabolism)
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