TELOMERASE ACTIVITY IS ELEVATED IN EARLY S-PHASE IN HAMSTER-CELLS

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein that elongates telomeric repeats de novo. We examined the possibility that telomerase activity is cell cyc le regulated by examining telomerase activity in cell cycle synchroniz ed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) B11 cells. Overall telomerase activity was similar in growing and quiescent cells. Further, cells synchronize d in G(1), S, or G(2)/M showed similar levels of telomerase activity. However, a detailed analysis of cells within S phase showed that there was a higher level of telomerase activity in early S phase when compa red with other points in the cell cycle, These results suggest a relat ionship between telomerase activity and cell cycle regulation. (C) 199 7 Academic Press.