AUTHOR=Davis Justin A. , Reyes Andres V. , Nitika  , Saha Arpita , Wolfgeher Donald J. , Xu Shou-Ling , Truman Andrew W. , Li Bibo , Chakrabarti Kausik 

TITLE=Proteomic analysis defines the interactome of telomerase in the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2023.1110423

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2023.1110423

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=<p>Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme responsible for maintaining the telomeric end of the chromosome. The telomerase enzyme requires two main components to function: the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and the telomerase RNA (TR), which provides the template for telomeric DNA synthesis. TR is a long non-coding RNA, which forms the basis of a large structural scaffold upon which many accessory proteins can bind and form the complete telomerase holoenzyme. These accessory protein interactions are required for telomerase activity and regulation inside cells. The interacting partners of TERT have been well studied in yeast, human, and <italic>Tetrahymena</italic> models, but not in parasitic protozoa, including clinically relevant human parasites. Here, using the protozoan parasite, <italic>Trypanosoma brucei</italic> (<italic>T. brucei</italic>) as a model, we have identified the interactome of <italic>T. brucei</italic> TERT (<italic>Tb</italic>TERT) using a mass spectrometry-based approach. We identified previously known and unknown interacting factors of <italic>Tb</italic>TERT, highlighting unique features of <italic>T. brucei</italic> telomerase biology. These unique interactions with <italic>Tb</italic>TERT, suggest mechanistic differences in telomere maintenance between <italic>T. brucei</italic> and other eukaryotes.</p>