ACCUMULATION OF TELOMERASE RNA AND TELOMERE PROTEIN TRANSCRIPTS DURING TELOMERE SYNTHESIS IN EUPLOTES

In the ciliate Euplotes crassus a complex series of developmental even ts lead to formation of a new macronucleus. Millions of telomeres are synthesized during this process. We have shown that transcript levels are tightly regulated throughout Euplotes conjugation and macronuclear development. Thus, expression of gene products needed for macronuclea r development and telomere synthesis appears to be controlled at the l evel of RNA abundance. To learn more about the cole played by telamera se and the Euplotes telomere protein during telomere synthesis, we hav e correlated changes in the abundance of telomerase RNA and telomere p rotein mRNA transcript with specific developmental events. Telomerase RNA levels increase steadily during the early stages of macronuclear d evelopment and reach a peak just after telomere addition. The telomere protein transcript rises and falls twice during conjugation and then rises again at the time of telomere addition. The increases in transcr ipt levels during conjugation parallel micronuclear division suggestin g that the telomere protein is synthesized at this time and hence may have a micronuclear function.