title: Telomere measurement by quantitative PCR.
abstract: It has long been presumed impossible to measure telomeres in vertebrate DNA by PCR amplification with oligonucleotide primers designed to hybridize to the TTAGGG and CCCTAA repeats, because only primer dimer-derived products are expected. Here we present a primer pair that eliminates this problem, allowing simple and rapid measurement of telomeres in a closed tube, fluorescence-based assay. This assay will facilitate investigations of the biology of telomeres and the roles they play in the molecular pathophysiology of diseases and aging.
authors: Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, 15 N 2030 E, Room 2100, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. rcawthon@genetics.utah.edu
authors: Richard M
authors: RM
authors: Cawthon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004247:DNA