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Telomerase activity is widespread in adult somatic tissues of Xenopus
Author(s) -
Bousman Sylvia,
Schneider Gerard,
Shampay Janis
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of experimental zoology part b: molecular and developmental evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1552-5015
pISSN - 1552-5007
DOI - 10.1002/jez.b.7
Subject(s) - telomerase , xenopus , telomere , biology , somatic cell , ploidy , microbiology and biotechnology , dna , genetics , gene
Chromosome ends, or telomeres, are maintained by telomerase. Work in selected vertebrates has implied that telomerase is often repressed in differentiated cells, and telomere erosion results in senescence of cultured cells. Tissues from mature Xenopus laevis frogs were examined for telomerase enzymatic activity with the TRAP (telomere repeat amplification protocol) assay. All tissues contained active telomerase, most abundantly in testis, spleen, liver, and embryos; activity was less abundant but still readily detectable with < 100 ng of protein extract from brain and muscle tissues. Activity in somatic tissues of the diploid Xenopus tropicalis suggests this condition is not limited to the polyploid members of the genus, and that extensive differentiation‐linked telomerase repression does not occur in Xenopus . J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 295B:82–86, 2003 . © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.