Creation of a novel telomere-cutting endonuclease based on the EN domain of telomere-specific non-long terminal repeat retrotransposon, TRAS1.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ends of chromosomes, termed telomeres consist of repetitive DNA. The telomeric sequences shorten with cell division and, when telomeres are critically abbreviated, cells stop proliferating. However, in cancer cells, by the expression of telomerase which elongates telomeres, the cells can continue proliferating. Many approaches for telomere shortening have been pursued in the past, but to our knowledge, cutting telomeres in vivo has not so far been demonstrated. In addition, there is lack of information on the cellular effects of telomere shortening in human cells.

Results

Here, we created novel chimeric endonucleases to cut telomeres by fusing the endonuclease domain (TRAS1EN) of the silkworm's telomere specific non-long terminal repeat retrotransposon TRAS1 t

SUBMITTER: Yoshitake K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2868851 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature