telomerase
Americannoun
noun
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An enzyme that preserves the length of telomeres across cell divisions in germ cells, stem cells, and most cancer cells. A kind of reverse transcriptase, telomerase is an RNA-containing enzyme that synthesizes the DNA of telomeres by reverse transcription. It is active during DNA replication and is thought to play a role in the proliferation and apparent immortality of cells in which it is present. In cells that lack telomerase (that is, in most somatic cells of the body), the telomeres of chromosomes shorten and eventually disappear over repeated cell divisions. The inhibition of telomerase is being investigated as a method of killing cancerous cells.
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See more at telomere
Etymology
Origin of telomerase
telomere + -ase
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The enzyme telomerase lengthens telomeres, helping protect chromosomes and preventing cells from dying.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 1, 2026
Scientists have long known how telomerase maintains the length of the G-rich strand, but only recently was it recognized that the same problem also exists for the C-rich strand.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2024
Phosphorylated POT1 ensures that CST-Polα/primase remains inactive until telomerase has finished its job, upon which the dephosphorylation of POT1 activates CST-Polα/primase to add the finishing touches to the telomere.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2024
The enzyme telomerase plays a key role in maintaining the length of telomeres as chromosomes replicate during cell division.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 11, 2024
This explained the mechanics of HeLa’s immortality: telomerase constantly rewound the ticking clock at the end of Henrietta’s chromosomes so they never grew old and never died.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
