The Telomerase Database is a Web-based tool for the study of structure, function, and evolution of the telomerase ribonucleoprotein. The objective of this database is to serve the research community by providing a comprehensive compilation of information known about telomerase enzyme and its substrate, telomeres. The collection of information includes sequences, alignments, secondary and tertiary structures, mutations known to cause human telomerase-deficiency diseases, and current telomerase researchers.
Illustration of the vertebrate telomerase ribonucleoprotein complexed with its substrate, telomeric DNA (blue). Telomerase consists of a reverse transcriptase (TERT, in yellow and pink), and RNA component (TR, in green), and the dyskerin protein complex. The TERT protein contains the N-terminal domain (TEN), RNA-interacting domains 1 and 2 (RID1 and RID2), and the reverse transcriptase domain (RT). The RNA component contains base-pairing region P1b that defines the template boundary, the template that encodes the telomeric sequences, the pseudoknot, conserved regions 4 and 5 (CR4-CR5) that include P6 and P6.1, and the 3’-box H/ACA stem-loop bound by the H/ACA ribonucleoprotein complex (dyskerin, Nop10, NHP2, and Gar1). RID1 is bound to pseudoknot-template region and RID2 to CR4-CR5. There six proteins that associate with telomeres to form the shelterin complex (TRF1, TRF2, POT1, directly bound telomeric DNA and TIN2, TPP1, and Rap1 associated with the telomeric DNA binding proteins). TRF1 and TRF2 are bound to double-stranded telomeric DNA, while POT1 is bound to the single-stranded region.
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