[Identification of the gene sequence of telomerase catalytic subunit in Plasmodium falciparum].
BACKGROUND
The enzyme telomerase regulates telomere length by synthesis of telomeric repeats to compensate for telomeric loss in each DNA replication cycle. Therefore, telomerase is a potential target to block growth of cells with high replication rates. In Plasmodium falciparum, telomerase activity has been documented, but little information on its structure and role.


METHODS
Herein, alignment of multiple sequences was undertaken comparing telomerase catalytic subunit sequences as found in existing databases. A consensus sequence was compared with the sequences in the P. falciparum genome project and as a result, a candidate sequence for a portion of the telomerase gene was recovered. Primer sets were designed for DNA and RNA amplifications.


RESULTS
DNA fragments corresponding to telomerase conserved domains were amplified by using reverse transcription and PCR of cDNA. With a combination of bioinformatics and sequencing methods, the sequence of telomerase catalytic subunit gene (TERT) in P. falciparum was discovered, and its presence and transcription demonstrated.
Rubiano
Claudia Consuelo
CC
Laboratorio de Investigación Básica en Bioquímica, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, D.C., Colombia.
Wasserman
Moisés
M
D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase