端粒酶是一种具有逆转录酶活性的核糖核蛋白复合体,主要功能是进行染色体末端端粒DNA的复制,维持端粒长度。然而,新的研究发现,端粒酶逆转录酶(telomerase reverse transcriptase,TERT)亚基还参与了肿瘤的发生、基因表达调节和线粒体调控等非端粒的功能。端粒酶的非端粒功能的研究有助于全面阐明端粒酶的生物学效应与作用机制,并且对肿瘤等疾病的治疗具有重要的指导意义。
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme complex completes telomere DNA replication of chromosomes. However, additional non-telomeric roles emerge for the telomerase protein TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) that can impact tumourigenesis, gene expression regulation and mitochondrial functionality. Researches on the telomere-independent functions of telomerase will contribute to an overall and deep elucidation of the biological behavior of telomerase and related mechanisms, with important significance on the therapy of tumor and other related diseases.