• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.747-751
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• 2009

Transcriptional silencing of subtelomeric genes is associated with telomere length, which is correlated with age. Long and short telomeres in young and old people, respectively, coincide with gene repression and activation in each case. In addition, differential location of genes with respect to telomeres causes telomere position effect. There is very little evidence of the manner in which age-related telomere length affects the expression of specific human subtelomeric genes. We analyzed the relationship between telomere length and gene expression levels in fibroblasts derived from human donors at ages ranging from 0-70 years. We studied three groups of genes located between 100 and 150 kb, 200 and 250 kb, and >300 kb away from telomeres. We found that the chromatin modifier-encoding genes Eu-HMTase1, ZMYND11, and RASA3 were overexpressed in adults. Our results suggest that short telomere length-related overexpression of chromatin modifiers could underlie transcriptional changes contributing to cellular senescence.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.303-309
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• 2005

The end of eukaryotic genomic DNA is capped by a specialized structure called as "telomere" which consists of the repetitive array of nucleotide sequence, TTAGGG, in humans and mice, and a variety of binding proteins. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex responsible for the elongation of telomeres to maintain the genomic integrity, and is composed of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), telomerase RNA component (TERC), and their associated factors regulating the catalytic activity of telomerase. Although it is now apparent that telomerase protects cells from apoptosis via the maintenance of genomic integrity by stabilizing telomeres, our understanding for the physiological role of telomerase is yet far from completion, and emerging evidence suggests that telomerase has additional extratelomeric roles in mediating cell survival and anti-apoptotic functions against various cytotoxic stresses. Here we summarize and discuss how telomerase and telomeres are involved in mediating cellular protection against apoptosis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.547-554
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• 2004

Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures at the ends of chromosomes consisting of tandem repeat sequences of . (TTAGGG)n. Telomeres serve as guardians of the genome, protect individual chromosomes within the nucleus, and help in meiotic pairing of homologous chromosomes. To investigate the telomere distributions of cattle and pig chromosomes, fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH) was carried out on metaphase spreads of in vitro fibroblast cultures from Holstein and Landrace using a human telomeric DNA repeat probe. Results indicate that the distinct double spots on both ends of chromosomes of cattle and pigs were observed. In cattle, there was a random variation in the intensity of telomere signals among chromosomes. In pigs, an interstitial telomeric signal was observed on the chromosome 6q1 of all the cells examined. According to quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization(Q-FISH) analysis, some chromosomes had consistently much more telorneres at one end of chromosomes. In general, both species had consistently much more telomeres at q-end than p-end on most of chromosomes. The relative amount of telomeres on bovine chromosomes was higher than that on pig chromosomes. In additions, Y chromosome had the highest relative amount of telorneres in cattle and pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.445-456
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• 2008

Telomeres consist of TTAGGG tandem repeated DNA sequences with specific proteins and locate at chromosome ends. Telomeres are essential for chromosome stability and are related with cell senescence, apoptosis and cancer. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein which has a template for the synthesis of telomeric DNA. This study was carried out to analyze the amount of telomeric DNA and telomerase activity in cattle cells. Analysis of the quantity of telomere in lymphocytes was done at different ages, sex and among Korean cattle and Holstein breeds. The telomerase activity was also analyzed in liver, brain, heart, kidney, and testis tissues of fetal calf and of 18 month old cattle. The amount of telomeres in lymphocytes and other tissue cells was analyzed by Quantitative-Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (Q-FISH) technique using a telomeric DNA probe. Telomerase activity was analyzed by Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol assay (TRAP). The amount of telomeric DNA on the lymphocytes during the whole life span was decreased along with age. Quantity of telomeres in Korean cattle was significantly higher than that in Holstein breed. The amount of telomeric DNA in males was significantly higher than that in females. Telomerase activity was up-regulated in most bovine tissues during fetal stage, but was down-regulated in most tissues at mature 18 month age except the testis cells. This study indicates that the amount of telomeres and telomerase activity of cells can be used as an age marker or/and a physiological marker of cattle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2003

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2009

Ring chromosome occurs when both telomeres of a chromosome are lost and the remaining portion of the chromosome circularizes to re-establish chromosome stability. This abnormal structure shows mitotic instability unlike the normal chromosomes, causing problems during mitosis. Here, we report one case of "chromosome 4 ring syndrome" on a 6-month-old male patient with growth retardation. Ring chromosome, monosomy, dicentric chromosome were shown by conventional chromosome analysis using peripheral blood. Peripheral blood was used and incubated for 72 hours for chromosome analysis. 3 probes (LSI WHS SpectrumOrange/CEP 4 SpectrumGreen, 4p subtelomere probe, 4q subtelomere probe) were used to detect the origin and breakpoint of ring chromosome 4 by FISH (fluorescense in situ hybridization) technique.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2001

How much do we know about the biology of aging from cell culture studies Most normal somatic cells have a finite potential to divide due to a process termed cellular or replicative senescence. A growing body evidence suggests that senescence evolved to protect higher eu-karyotes, particularly mammals, from developing cancer, We now know that telomere shortening due to the biochemistry of DNA replication, induces replicative senescence in human cells. How-ever in rodent cells, replicative senescence occurs despite very long telomeres. Recent findings suggest that replicative senescence is just the tip of the iceberg of a more general process termed cellular senescence. It appears that cellular senescence is a response to potentially oncogenic in-sults, including oxidative damage. In young orgainsms, growth arrest by cell senescence sup-presses tumor development, but later in life, due to the accumulation of senescent cells which se-cret factors that can disrupt tissues during aging, cellular senescence promotes tumorigenesis. Therefore, antagonistic pleiotropy may explain, if not in whole the apparently paradoxical effects of cellular senescence, though this still remains an open question.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2006

Telomeres are essential for chromosome stability and are related with cell senescence, apoptosis and cancer. Even though telomere length and telomerase activity have been studied extensively, very little is known to analyze the telomere dynamics in chicken cells. This study was carried out to analyze the telomere distribution and telomerase activity of Korean Native Chicken cells along with aging. The cells were collected from brain, heart, liver, kidney and germinal tissues during physiological stages. Telomere distribution was analyzed by Quantitative-Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (Q-FISH) techniques using the chicken telomeric DNA probe. Telomerase activity was performed by Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) assay. In results, the telomeres of chicken were found at the ends of all chromosomes with the interstitial telomeres on chromosomes 1, 2 and 3. The amount of telomeres on chicken cells was decreased along with aging in most tissues. Furthermore, the telomere quantity was significantly different among tissues. The relative amount of telomeres in proliferous cells such as testis cells had much more than those of liver, brain, heart, blood and kidney cells. The telomerase activity was down-regulated in cells of brain, heart and liver tissues. Whereas gonadal cells showed a constitutive activity of telomerase during all stage of life. In conclusions, the telomere quantity and telomerase activity in chicken are closely relate to cell proliferation and tissue specificity during developmental stages and aging. There is also closely correlated between the amounts of telomeric DNA and telomerase activity in chicken tissues.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2014

Telomeres are the ends of the eukaryotic chromosomes and consist of a tandem repetitive DNA sequence and shelterin protein complex. The function of telomere is to protect chromosome. Telomere length in somatic cells tends to decrease with organismal age due to the end replication problem. However, several factors at the genetic, epigenetic and environmental level affect telomere length. In this study, we estimated heritability of telomere length and investigated inheritance of telomeres in a chicken. Telomere length of lymphocytes was analyzed by semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction using telomere primer and quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization using telomeric DNA probe. In results, heritability of telomere length was estimated 0.9 at birth by offspring-parent regression analysis and was estimated 0.03 and 0.04 at 10 and 30 weeks old, respectively, by parental variance analysis. There was a significant positive correlation in telomere length between father and their offspring (r=0.348), and mother and their offspring (r=0.380). In inheritance patterns of telomere length, the influence of paternal and maternal effect on their offspring was similar. The influence of inherited telomeres on male and female progeny was also roughly alike. These results implicated that imprinting of parental telomere length was regulated by autosomal genes, not sex linked genes. In addition, telomere length of offspring at birth did not differ along with their maternal age. Thus, maternal age does not affects telomere length in their offspring at birth owing to cellular reprogramming at early embryonic stage.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.465-474
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• 2008

The amount of telomeric DNA was quantified across different breeds(Landrace, Duroc, Yorkshire and Berksire), at different ages(90 days old and 180 days old) and among sexes(male and female) in pigs raised at the Performance Testing Station of Korea Swine Association, Jinkyo, Korea. The telomeric DNA amount was quantified by Quantitative Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization(Q-FISH) using a porcine telomeric DNA probe on interphase nuclei of lymphocytes. Analysis revealed that the amount of telomeric DNA on the pig lymphocytes was found to decrease with age. The quantity of telomeres significantly differed among breeds at 90 days of age. The colored breeds such as Berkshire and Duroc had higher amount of telomeric DNA than the Yorkshire and Landrace breed. In addition, the amount of telomeric DNA in male lymphocytes was significantly higher than that of females. In the correlation coefficients between the telomere quantity and their productive traits; average daily gain, loin percent and index value were positively correlated, whereas body length, feed efficiency and back fat thickness correlated negatively. However, the correlation coefficients were very low and not significant. Therefore, this study suggests that the amount of telomeres on lymphocytes can be considered as a physiological marker but not as a productive marker in pig.