TERT

TERT, the telomerase reverse transcriptase, serves as the core subunit of telomerase, comprising multiple domains including the telomerase conserved motifs domain, the catalytic domain, and the RNA-binding domain. It is responsible for transcribing the RNA template into DNA through reverse transcription during cell division and adding it to the telomere DNA sequence at the end of chromosomes, thus maintaining telomere length and ensuring the continuous proliferative capacity of cells. The expression of TERT is strictly regulated, but it is often abnormally upregulated in tumor cells, closely related to tumor occurrence and development. In addition to maintaining telomere length, TERT also participates in DNA repair, cell survival, apoptosis prevention, growth promotion, and proliferation, and exhibits new biological functions independent of telomeres, such as gene transcription regulation, angiogenesis, and immune inflammation. These findings not only provide new perspectives for understanding the biological role of TERT but also serve as important theoretical foundations and potential therapeutic strategies for treating telomerase-related diseases.