Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of identifying in a sample nucleic acids that encode human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) or its fragments. The present invention is also directed to oligonucleotide primers used in such methods. The invention is further directed to PCR products that hybridize under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide encoding hTRT, as well as hybridization complexes comprising one strand of a cellular hTRT nucleic acid and one strand of nucleic acid comprising a recombinant or synthetic fragment of hTRT.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel telomerase nucleic acids and amino acids. In particular, the present invention is directed to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences encoding various telomerase protein subunits and motifs, including the 123 kDa and 43 kDa telomerase protein subunits of Euplotes aediculatus, and related sequences from Schizosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces sequences, and human telomerase. The present invention is also directed to polypeptides comprising these telomerase protein subunits, as well as functional polypeptides and ribonucleoproteins that contain these subunits.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to expression vectors comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) protein, variant, or fragment. The present invention is also directed to host cells that comprise expression vectors comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a hTRT protein variant, or fragment.

Abstract: Method for splicing a target nucleic acid molecule with a separate nucleic acid molecule. Such splicing generally causes production of a chimeric protein with advantageous features over that protein naturally produced from the target nucleic acid prior to splicing. The method includes contacting the target nucleic acid molecule with a catalytic nucleic acid molecule including the separate nucleic acid molecule. Such contacting is performed under conditions in which at least a portion of the separate nucleic acid molecule is spliced with at least a portion of the target nucleic acid molecule to form a chimeric nucleic acid molecule. In this method, the catalytic nucleic molecule is chosen so that it is not naturally associated with the separate nucleic acid molecule.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel telomerase nucleic acids and amino acids. In particular, the present invention is directed to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences encoding various telomerase protein subunits and motifs, including the 123 kDa and 43 kDa telomerase protein subunits of Euplotes aediculatus, and related sequences from Schizosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces sequences, and human telomerase. The present invention is also directed to polypeptides comprising these telomerase protein subunits, as well as functional polypeptides and ribonucleoproteins that contain these subunits.

Abstract: A protein identified in humans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pot1p, binds single-stranded telomeric DNA and both stabilizes chromosome ends and regulates telomerase activity. Compounds that stabilize or disrupt the Pot1p-DNA interaction will be useful in regulating the telomere length of a cell. Because telomere length is involved in the regulation of cellular life-span, the life-span of useful cell populations may be prolonged or undesirable cells may be caused to cease proliferation. The identification of a Pot1 protein and its encoding DNA provides methods of screening useful compounds or diagnosing illnesses that involve altered expression or structure of a Pot1 protein or gene.

Abstract: A protein identified in humans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pot1p, binds single-stranded telomeric DNA and both stabilizes chromosome ends and regulates telomerase activity. Compounds that stabilize or disrupt the Pot1p-DNA interaction will be useful in regulating the telomere length of a cell. Because telomere length is involved in the regulation of cellular life-span, the life-span of useful cell populations may be prolonged or undesirable cells may be caused to cease proliferation. The identification of a Pot1 protein and its encoding DNA provides methods of screening useful compounds or diagnosing illnesses that involve altered expression or structure of a Pot1 protein or gene.

Abstract: RNA enzymes or ribozymes can act as endoribonucleases, catalyzing the cleavage of RNA molecules with a sequence specificity of cleavage greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction endonucleases, thus serving as RNA sequence specific endoribonucleases. An example is a shortened form of the self-splicing ribosomal RNA intervening sequence of Tetrahymena (L-19 IVS RNA). Site-specific mutagenesis of the enzyme active site of the L-19 IVS RNA alters the substrate sequence specificity in a predictable manner, allowing a set of sequence-specific endoribonucleases to be synthesized. Varying conditions allow the ribozyme to act as a polymerase (nucleotidyltransferase), a dephosphorylase (acid phosphatase or phosphotransferase) or a sequence-specific endoribonuclease.

Abstract: The present invention provides TRT antisense oligonucleotides, methods of detecting TRT, methods of diagnosing telomerase-related conditions, methods of diagnosing and providing a prognosis for cancer, and methods of treating telomerase-related conditions, including cancer.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to cells comprising a recombinant polynucleotide sequence that encodes a telomerase reverse transcriptase protein, variant, or fragment having telomerase catalytic activity when complexed with a telomerase RNA.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a telomerase reverse transcriptase polypeptide or a polypeptide homologous to a telomerase reverse transcriptase. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a polynucleotide encoding either of the aforesaid polypeptides. The present invention is further directed to methods for eliciting an immune response to telomerase reverse transcriptase in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of identifying in a sample nucleic acids that encode human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) or its fragments. The present invention is also directed to oligonucleotide primers used in such methods. The invention is further directed to PCR products that hybridize under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide encoding hTRT, as well as hybridization complexes comprising one strand of a cellular hTRT nucleic acid and one strand of nucleic acid comprising a recombinant or synthetic fragment of hTRT.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to expression vectors comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) protein, variant, or fragment. The present invention is also directed to host cells that comprise expression vectors comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a hTRT protein variant, or fragment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to monoclonal or recombinant antibodies or fragments thereof that bind to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) protein. The present invention is also directed to methods of identifying or detecting hTRT polypeptides in biological samples. The invention is further directed to methods of generating antibodies that specifically bind to hTRT protein.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel telomerase nucleic acids and amino acids. In particular, the present invention is directed to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences encoding various telomerase protein subunits and motifs, including the 123 kDa and 43 kDa telomerase protein subunits of Euplotes aediculatus, and related sequences from Schizosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces sequences, and human telomerase. The present invention is also directed to polypeptides comprising these telomerase protein subunits, as well as functional polypeptides and ribonucleoproteins that contain these subunits.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel telomerase nucleic acids and amino acids. In particular, the present invention is directed to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences encoding various telomerase protein subunits and motifs, including the 123 kDa and 43 kDa telomerase protein subunits of Euplotes aediculatus, and related sequences from Schizosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces sequences, and human telomerase. The present invention is also directed to polypeptides comprising these telomerase protein subunits, as well as functional polypeptides and ribonucleoproteins that contain these subunits.

Abstract: The present invention provides TRT antisense oligonucleotides, methods of detecting TRT, methods of diagnosing telomerase-related conditions, methods of diagnosing and providing a prognosis for cancer, and methods of treating telomerase-related conditions, including cancer.