TERT Promoter Methylation Is Oxygen-Sensitive and Regulates Telomerase Activity.

ABSTRACT: Telomere repeats protect linear chromosomes from degradation, and telomerase has a prominent role in their maintenance. Telomerase has telomere-independent effects on cell proliferation, DNA replication, differentiation, and tumorigenesis. TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase enzyme), the catalytic subunit of telomerase, is required for enzyme activity. TERT promoter mutation and methylation are strongly associated with increased telomerase activation in cancer cells. TERT levels and telomerase activity are downregulated in stem cells during differentiation. The link between differentiation and telomerase can provide a valuable tool for the study of the epigenetic regulation of TERT. Oxygen levels can affect cellular behaviors including proliferation, metabolic activity, stemness, and di

SUBMITTER: Dogan F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10813121 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature