title: Many disease-associated variants of hTERT retain high telomerase enzymatic activity.
abstract: Mutations in the gene for telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) are associated with diseases including dyskeratosis congenita, aplastic anemia, pulmonary fibrosis and cancer. Understanding the molecular basis of these telomerase-associated diseases requires dependable quantitative measurements of telomerase enzyme activity. Furthermore, recent findings that the human POT1-TPP1 chromosome end-binding protein complex stimulates telomerase activity and processivity provide incentive for testing variant telomerases in the presence of these factors. In the present work, we compare multiple disease-associated hTERT variants reconstituted with the RNA subunit hTR in two systems (rabbit reticulocyte lysates and human cell lines) with respect to telomerase enzymatic activity, processivity and activation by telomere proteins. Surprisingly, many of the previously reported disease-associated hTERT alleles give near-normal telomerase enzyme activity. It is possible that a small deficit in telomerase activity is sufficient to cause telomere shortening over many years. Alternatively, mutations may perturb functions such as the recruitment of telomerase to telomeres, which are essential in vivo but not revealed by simple enzyme assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado BioFrontiers Institute, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN 46135, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zaug
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Crary
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jesse Fioravanti
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Cech
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C495876:ACD protein, human; C440849:POT1 protein, human; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins; D019098:Telomerase
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