title: Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (Atm) is not required for telomerase-mediated elongation of short telomeres.
abstract: Telomerase-mediated telomere addition counteracts telomere shortening due to incomplete DNA replication. Short telomeres are the preferred substrate for telomere addition by telomerase; however, the mechanism by which telomerase recognizes short telomeres is unclear. In yeast, the Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (Atm) homolog, Tel1, is necessary for normal telomere length regulation likely by altering telomere structure, allowing telomerase recruitment to short telomeres. To examine the role of Atm in establishing preference for elongation of short telomeres in mice, we examined telomerase-mediated elongation of short dysfunctional telomeres in the presence or absence of Atm. Here we show that Atm is dispensable for elongation of short telomeres by telomerase, suggesting that telomerase recruitment in mammalian cells and in yeast may be regulated differently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Graduate Program in Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21025, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feldser
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Carol W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Greider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009154:Mutation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C576325:Atm protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019098:Telomerase