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The Expression Of Mkrn1, An E3 Ubiquitin Ligase For Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase, Is Induced With Differentiation Therapy In Leukemia, Jose Salvatico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telomeres are important structural and functional components of chromosomes, serving to provide stability and enabling full replication of the chromosomes. However, a shortening of the telomeres occurs with each cell division that can be fixed by a polymerase activity provided by telomerase, preventing this loss which would otherwise eventually lead to chromosome end-to-end fusions, senescence and cell death. The telomerase activity is present in stem cells and germ line cells, but absent or barely noticeable in adult somatic cells. However, in approximately 80-90% of transformed somatic cells the telomerase activity is recovered, resulting in a "telomerase positive phenotype". This phenotype …