Large telomerase RNA, telomere length heterogeneity and escape from senescence in Candida glabrata

Kachouri-Lafond, R.; Dujon, B.; Gilson, E.; Westhof, E.; Fairhead, C.; Teixeira, M.T.

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2009.10.034

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Volume 583, Issue 22 , Pages 3605-3610, 19 November 2009

Large telomerase RNA, telomere length heterogeneity and escape from senescence in Candida glabrata

Edited by Varda Rotter

R. Kachouri-Lafond
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
B. Dujon
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Génétique Moléculaire des Levures, CNRS URA 2171, Université P&M Curie, UFR927, F75015 Paris, France
E. Gilson
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, UMR 5239, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure, F-69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France
E. Westhof
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
C. Fairhead
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Génétique Moléculaire des Levures, CNRS URA 2171, Université P&M Curie, UFR927, F75015 Paris, France
- Corresponding authors. Fax: +33 1 45 68 87 90 (C. Fairhead), +33 4 72 72 80 80 (M.T. Teixeira).
M.T. Teixeira
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Cellule, UMR 5239, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure, F-69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France
- Corresponding authors. Fax: +33 1 45 68 87 90 (C. Fairhead), +33 4 72 72 80 80 (M.T. Teixeira).

Received 25 August 2009; received in revised form 10 October 2009; accepted 13 October 2009. published online 19 October 2009.

Abstract

Telomerase, the key enzyme essential for the maintenance of eukaryotic chromosome ends, contains a reverse transcriptase and an RNA that provides the template for the synthesis of telomeric repeats. Here, we characterize the telomerase subunits in the hemiascomycete yeast Candida glabrata. We propose a secondary structure model for the telomerase RNA that is the largest described to date. Telomerase deletion mutants show a progressive shortening of telomeres and a modest loss of viability. Frequent post-senescence survivors emerge that possess long telomeric repeat tracts. We suggest that the high telomere length heterogeneity accounts for this distinct senescence phenotype.

Abbreviations: DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, RNA, ribonucleic acid, RT, reverse transcriptase, TPE, telomere position effect, TRF, terminal restriction fragment, kbp, kilo base pairs