Telomerase mapped (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, October 16, 2015, 02:05 (3327 days ago) @ David Turell

Further delineation of Telomerase which protects the ends of chromosomes:-http://phys.org/news/2015-10-scientists-clearest-ever-images-enzyme-key.html-"Telomerase's primary job is to maintain the DNA in telomeres, the structures at the ends of our chromosomes that act like the plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces. When telomerase isn't active, each time our cells divide, the telomeres get shorter. When that happens, the telomeres eventually become so short that the cells stop dividing or die.-"On the other hand, cells with abnormally active telomerase can constantly rebuild their protective chromosomal caps and become immortal. Making cells immortal might sound like a promising prospect, but it actually is harmful because DNA errors accumulate over time, which damages cells, said Feigon.-***-"Feigon knew that the Tetrahymena enzyme's catalytic core, where the majority of the telomerase activity occurs, was a close analogue to the catalytic core in the human enzyme, but she did not previously know whether the other proteins had human counterparts.-"'It turns out that nearly all, if not all, of the telomerase proteins in Tetrahymena have similar proteins in humans," Feigon said. "Now we can use our model system to learn more about how telomerase interacts at the telomeres."-"Feigon and her colleagues are working to fill in even more details of the telomerase puzzle. Their research could lead to the development of pharmaceuticals that target specific sub-units of telomerase and disrupt interactions between proteins.-"'There is so much potential for treating disease if we understand deeply how telomerase works," Feigon said."-Comment:Look at the picture of the structure. Designed, but how? Naturally or intelligently.