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HOT1 is a mammalian direct telomere repeat-binding protein contributing to telomerase recruitment.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Kappei, Dennis 
Butter, Falk 
Benda, Christian 
Scheibe, Marion 
Draškovič, Irena 

Abstract

Telomeres are repetitive DNA structures that, together with the shelterin and the CST complex, protect the ends of chromosomes. Telomere shortening is mitigated in stem and cancer cells through the de novo addition of telomeric repeats by telomerase. Telomere elongation requires the delivery of the telomerase complex to telomeres through a not yet fully understood mechanism. Factors promoting telomerase-telomere interaction are expected to directly bind telomeres and physically interact with the telomerase complex. In search for such a factor we carried out a SILAC-based DNA-protein interaction screen and identified HMBOX1, hereafter referred to as homeobox telomere-binding protein 1 (HOT1). HOT1 directly and specifically binds double-stranded telomere repeats, with the in vivo association correlating with binding to actively processed telomeres. Depletion and overexpression experiments classify HOT1 as a positive regulator of telomere length. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation and cell fractionation analyses show that HOT1 associates with the active telomerase complex and promotes chromatin association of telomerase. Collectively, these findings suggest that HOT1 supports telomerase-dependent telomere elongation.

Description

Keywords

Chromatin, HeLa Cells, Homeodomain Proteins, Humans, Multiprotein Complexes, Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid, Telomerase, Telomere, Telomere-Binding Proteins

Journal Title

EMBO J

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0261-4189
1460-2075

Volume Title

32

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC