TELOMERASE AND TELOMERES IN AGING AND CANCER

The structure and integrity of telomeres are essential for genome stability. Telomere deregulation can lead to cell death, cell senescence or abnormal cell proliferation. The maintenance of telomere repeats in most eukaryotic organisms require telomerase, which consists of a reverse transcriptase (RT) and an RNA template that dictates the synthesis of the G-rich strand of telomere repeats. Structurally, telomerase reverse transcriptases (TERT) contain unique and variable N- and C- terminal extensions that flank a central RT- like domain. The level of telomerase activity is important in determining telomerase length in aging cells and tissues. Here, evidence on the importance of telomerase activity is reviewed with respect to aging rates, as well as the health and life span of individuals.