title: Microsatellite mutation rates are equivalent in normal and telomerase-immortalized human fibroblasts.
abstract: Telomerase-expressing human fibroblasts generally have the same properties as normal cells, except that they have an indefinite life span in culture. We have introduced a dinucleotide repeat sequence into the telomerase-expressing hTERT-1604 cell line and characterized the rates and types of frameshift mutations within this microsatellite. These data have been compared with those in diploid fibroblasts with a finite life span. The rates of mutation were found to be similar in the two cell types, indicating that DNA mismatch repair and other cellular processes responsible for maintenance of mutational stability are not disrupted by telomerase immortalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Roques
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Farber
mesh_terms: D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004171:Diploidy; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D016368:Frameshift Mutation; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019098:Telomerase