Modification of the telomerase gene with human regulatory sequences resets mouse telomeres to human length.

Fan Zhang, De Cheng, Kenneth I Porter, Emily A Heck, Shuwen Wang, Hui Zhang, Christopher J Davis, Gavin P Robertson, Jiyue Zhu

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, 99202, USA.Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, 99202, USA. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Telomeres shorten with each cell division, serving as biomarkers of aging, with human tissues exhibiting short telomeres and restricted telomerase expression. In contrast, mice have longer telomeres and widespread telomerase activity, limiting their relevance as models for human telomere biology. To address this, we engineer a mouse strain with a humanized mTert gene (hmTert), replacing specific non-coding sequences with human counterparts. The hmTert gene, which is repressed in adult tissues except the gonads and thymus, closely mimics human TERT regulation. This modification rescues telomere dysfunction in mTert-knockout mice. Successive intercrosses of Tert

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Research summary

The paper claims that engineering a mouse strain with a humanized telomerase gene can reset mouse telomeres to human length. This research is relevant as it addresses the fundamental mechanisms of telomere biology, which are closely linked to aging and longevity.

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