TERT siRNA – Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Isoform 2 (Human)

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein polymerase that maintains telomere ends by addition of the telomere repeat TTAGGG. The enzyme consists of a protein component with reverse transcriptase activity, encoded by this gene, and an RNA component which serves as a template for the telomere repeat. Telomerase expression plays a role in cellular senescence, as it is normally repressed in postnatal somatic cells resulting in progressive shortening of telomeres. Deregulation of telomerase expression in somatic cells may be involved in oncogenesis. Studies in mouse suggest that telomerase also participates in chromosomal repair, since de novo synthesis of telomere repeats may occur at double-stranded breaks. Alternatively spliced variants encoding different isoforms of telomerase reverse transcriptase have been identified; the full-length sequence of some variants has not been determined. Alternative splicing at this locus is thought to be one mechanism of regulation of telomerase activity. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

TERT: telomerase reverse transcriptase is a ribonucleoprotein polymerase that maintains telomere ends by addition of the telomere repeat TTAGGG. The holoenzyme consists of TERT and an RNA component which serves as a template for the telomere repeat. Telomerase expression plays a role in cellular senescence, as it is normally repressed in postnatal somatic cells resulting in progressive shortening of telomeres. Deregulation of telomerase expression in somatic cells may be involved in oncogenesis. Studies in mouse suggest that telomerase also participates in chromosomal repair, since de novo synthesis of telomere repeats may occur at double-stranded breaks. Alternatively spliced isoforms have been identified, although the full-length sequence of some variants has not been determined.

Protein type: EC 2.7.7.49; DNA-binding; Transferase; Nucleolus

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 5p15.33

Cellular Component: nucleoplasm; PML body; chromosome, telomeric region; nuclear telomere cap complex; telomerase holoenzyme complex; nucleolus

Molecular Function: telomerase activity; protein binding; protein homodimerization activity; RNA-directed RNA polymerase activity; DNA binding; metal ion binding; telomeric DNA binding; RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity; telomeric template RNA reverse transcriptase activity; tRNA binding; nucleotidyltransferase activity

Biological Process: mitochondrion organization and biogenesis; DNA strand elongation; RNA-dependent DNA replication; positive regulation of nitric-oxide synthase activity; telomere maintenance via telomerase; age-dependent telomere shortening; RNA interference, production of siRNA; positive regulation of Wnt receptor signaling pathway; telomere maintenance

Disease: Pulmonary Fibrosis, Idiopathic; Aplastic Anemia; Dyskeratosis Congenita, Autosomal Dominant, 1