Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer explains that telomeres is the name given by biologists in reference to the long TTAGGG repeats at the end of DNA sequences. The writer notes that although they do not code for specific genes they are of vital importance in maintaining genomic function. The writer points out that telomerase, an enzyme normally never active in somatic cells, is active in more than 90% of human cancers. More impressive however is the finding that all cancer cell lines fail to grow in the absence of telomerase activity by protein repression. The writer notes that since telomerase regulation may lead to discovery of cancer treatments, it is a topic widely discussed in molecular biology. The writer maintains that knowledge of both transcriptional activators and inhibitors of the telomerase gene may aid in the understanding of telomerase functioning. The writer concludes that great healing and relief can come from using the knowledge of telomerase regulation to fight cancer.

From the Paper:

"The protein hALP is not the only activator of hTERT that has now been identified. Zhiwei Tang and fellow authors have identified another activator that plays a role in hTERT transcription. Named transcriptional elements-interacting factor, this protein was shown to influence hTERT transcription and telomerase activities. TEIF, with a highly conserved structure, was discovered with the ability to bind DNA with its C-terminal end and influence transcription with the other domain. Localization of the binding was determined to be within +90 to -120 upstream of the hTERT gene. This identification was found by a gel-shift assay analysis that acts similarly to the EMSA assay. Once again if the protein binds to DNA of the hTERT gene the band scientists expect it to show delayed movement on gel electrophoresis. Specifically for this procedure the TEIF protein was tagged and introduced to fragments of the hTERT promoter from +90 to -531. This procedure allowed the determination that +90 to -120 on the hTERT gene was where TEIF would bind."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gilley, David, Hiromi Tanaka, and Brittney-Shea Herbert. "Telomere Dysfunction in Aging and Cancer." The Internation Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Vol. 37 May 2005, 1000-1013.
• Janknecht, Ralf. "On the Road to Immortality: hTERT Upregulation in Cancer Cells." FEBS Letters. Vol. 564 April 23 2004, 9-13.
• Lv, Junjie, Haijing Liu, Qiang Wang, Zhiwei Tang, Lin Hou and Bo Zhang. "Molecular Cloning of a Novel Human Gene Encoding Histone Acetyltransferase-like Protein Involved in Transcriptional Activation of hTERT." Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Vol. 311 Sept. 9 2003, 506-513.
• Tang, Zhiwei, Yaniun Zhao, Fang Mei, Shaomin Yang, Xuan Li, Junjie Lv, Lin Hou and Bo Zhang. "Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Human Gene Involved in Transcriptional Regulation of hTERT." Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Vol. 324 Nov. 26 2004, 1324-1332.
• Wang, Qiang, Zengliang Bai, Xuan Li, Lin Hou and Bo Zhang. "The Evidences of Human Orphan Receptor COUP-TFII Inhibiting Telomerase Activity Through Decreasing hTERT transcription." Cancer Letters. March 22 2004, 81-90.

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