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The Rap1p-telomere complex does not determine the replicative capacity of telomerase-deficient yeast
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The Rap1p-telomere complex does not determine the replicative capacity of telomerase-deficient yeast

Sarit Smolikov and Anat Krauskopf
Molecular and cellular biology, Vol.23(23), pp.8729-8739
12/2003
DOI: 10.1128/MCB.23.23.8729-8739.2003
PMCID: PMC262678
PMID: 14612413
url
http://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.23.23.8729-8739.2003View
Open Access

Abstract

Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures that cap the ends of chromosomes and thereby protect their stability and integrity. In the presence of telomerase, the enzyme that synthesizes telomeric repeats, telomere length is controlled primarily by Rap1p, the budding yeast telomeric DNA binding protein which, through its C-terminal domain, nucleates a protein complex that limits telomere lengthening. In the absence of telomerase, telomeres shorten with every cell division, and eventually, cells enter replicative senescence. We have set out to identify the telomeric property that determines the replicative capacity of telomerase-deficient budding yeast. We show that in cells deficient for both telomerase and homologous recombination, replicative capacity is dependent on telomere length but not on the binding of Rap1p to the telomeric repeats. Strikingly, inhibition of Rap1p binding or truncation of the C-terminal tail of Rap1p in Kluyveromyces lactis and deletion of the Rap1p-recruited complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae lead to a dramatic increase in replicative capacity. The study of the role of telomere binding proteins and telomere length on replicative capacity in yeast may have significant implications for our understanding of cellular senescence in higher organisms.
 DNA Replication Kluyveromyces - cytology Kluyveromyces - metabolism Transcription Factors - chemistry DNA, Fungal - genetics Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - genetics Transcription Factors - genetics Saccharomyces cerevisiae - cytology Saccharomyces cerevisiae - metabolism Transcription Factors - metabolism Telomere-Binding Proteins - genetics DNA, Fungal - biosynthesis Telomerase - genetics Cell Division Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - metabolism Protein Binding Telomerase - metabolism Telomere - metabolism Telomere-Binding Proteins - chemistry Kluyveromyces - genetics Telomere-Binding Proteins - metabolism Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - chemistry Telomere - genetics

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