title: Reverse transcriptase can stabilize or destabilize the genome.
abstract: Telomeres, the eukaryotic chromosome termini, are deoxyribonucleoprotein structures that distinguish natural chromosome ends from broken DNA. In most organisms, telomeres are extended by a reverse transcriptase (RT) with an integrated RNA template, telomerase; in Drosophila melanogaster, however, telomere-specific retrotransposons, HeT-A and TART transpose specifically to chromosome ends. Whether telomeres are extended by a telomerase or by retrotransposons, an RT is a key component. RT has been studied extensively, both for its important role in converting RNA genomes to DNA, which has great evolutionary impact, and as a therapeutic target in human retroviral diseases. Here we discuss a few important aspects of RT usage during retrotransposition and telomere elongation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haoudi
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D016678:Genome; D018626:Retroelements / Q000235:genetics*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018626:Retroelements; D019098:Telomerase