Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Telomeres and Telomerase02:41

Telomeres and Telomerase

In eukaryotic DNA replication, a single-stranded DNA fragment remains at the end of a chromosome after the removal of the final primer. This section of DNA cannot be replicated in the same manner as the rest of the strand because there is no 3’ end to which the newly synthesized DNA can attach. This non-replicated fragment results in gradual loss of the chromosomal DNA during each cell duplication. Additionally, it can induce a DNA damage response by enzymes that recognize single-stranded DNA.
Telomeres and Telomerase02:41

Telomeres and Telomerase

In eukaryotic DNA replication, a single-stranded DNA fragment remains at the end of a chromosome after the removal of the final primer. This section of DNA cannot be replicated in the same manner as the rest of the strand because there is no 3’ end to which the newly synthesized DNA can attach. This non-replicated fragment results in gradual loss of the chromosomal DNA during each cell duplication. Additionally, it can induce a DNA damage response by enzymes that recognize single-stranded DNA.
Replicative Cell Senescence02:15

Replicative Cell Senescence

Replicative cell senescence is a property of cells that allows them to divide a finite number of times throughout the organism's lifespan while preventing excessive proliferation. Replicative senescence is associated with the gradual loss of the telomere — short, repetitive DNA sequences found at the end of the chromosomes. Telomeres are bound by a group of proteins to form a protective cap on the ends of chromosomes. Embryonic stem cells express telomerase — an enzyme that adds the telomeric...
Replication in Eukaryotes01:29

Replication in Eukaryotes

In eukaryotic cells, DNA replication is highly conserved and tightly regulated. Multiple linear chromosomes must be duplicated with high fidelity before cell division, so there are many proteins that fulfill specialized roles in the replication process. Replication occurs in three phases: initiation, elongation, and termination, and ends with two complete sets of chromosomes in the nucleus.
Many Proteins Orchestrate Replication at the Origin
Eukaryotic replication follows many of the same...
Replication in Eukaryotes02:31

Replication in Eukaryotes

Overview
Regulated mRNA Transport02:22

Regulated mRNA Transport

In eukaryotes, transcription and translation are compartmentalized; an mRNA is first synthesized in the nucleus and then selectively transported to the cytoplasm for protein synthesis. Before transport, a pre-mRNA undergoes several steps of post-transcriptional modifications including splicing, 5' capping, and the addition of a poly-adenine tail. Various proteins bind to the pre-mRNA during these modifications. The mRNA transport takes place with the help of multiple proteins playing specific...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Effect of Electric Field on Internal Heat-Flow Characteristics During Evaporation of a Sessile Droplet.

Micromachines·2026
Same author

Spatial scaling of metagenomic diversity reveals ecological disruption in the gut microbiome of gout patients.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Large language models and child mortality: opportunities and challenges in answering public queries on under-5 causes.

Frontiers in public health·2026
Same author

Severe Pertussis During Early Infancy from a High-Altitude Region: Two Clinical Cases and Literature Review.

Journal of clinical medicine·2026
Same author

MicroRNA-132/212 negatively modulates opioid reward by targeting dopamine transporter in the ventral tegmental area.

Translational psychiatry·2026
Same author

Associations between leukocyte telomere length and three measures of folate status: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 1999-2002.

Frontiers in nutrition·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Telomerase Activity in the Various Regions of Mouse Brain: Non-Radioactive Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) Assay
10:14

Telomerase Activity in the Various Regions of Mouse Brain: Non-Radioactive Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) Assay

Published on: September 2, 2014

Subcellular Localization of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Regulates Gene-Specific Modulation of Mitochondrial DNA

Jiao Li1, Wenji Fang2, Zhi Fang3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Key Laboratory of Obstetric & Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.

Molecular Neurobiology
|July 8, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) has dual roles in neurons. Mitochondrial TERT (mito-TERT) specifically boosts mitochondrial DNA copy numbers, while nuclear TERT (nuc-TERT) has broader effects, revealing new neuroprotection mechanisms.

Keywords:
Brain injuryMitochondriaMitochondrial DNANeuronNucleusTelomerase reverse transcriptase

More Related Videos

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes
09:12

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes

Published on: December 20, 2019

High-Throughput Image-Based Quantification of Mitochondrial DNA Synthesis and Distribution
10:47

High-Throughput Image-Based Quantification of Mitochondrial DNA Synthesis and Distribution

Published on: May 5, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Telomerase Activity in the Various Regions of Mouse Brain: Non-Radioactive Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) Assay
10:14

Telomerase Activity in the Various Regions of Mouse Brain: Non-Radioactive Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) Assay

Published on: September 2, 2014

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes
09:12

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes

Published on: December 20, 2019

High-Throughput Image-Based Quantification of Mitochondrial DNA Synthesis and Distribution
10:47

High-Throughput Image-Based Quantification of Mitochondrial DNA Synthesis and Distribution

Published on: May 5, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) has known neuroprotective roles.
  • TERT overexpression guards against hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and maintains mitochondrial function.
  • TERT exhibits non-canonical functions beyond telomere maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if TERT's subcellular location dictates its function in regulating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in neurons.
  • To determine the specific mechanisms by which TERT influences mtDNA-encoded genes.
  • To explore the phase-dependent redistribution of TERT in response to cellular stress.

Main Methods:

  • Generated HT22 neuronal cells expressing mitochondrially targeted (mito-TERT) or nuclearly targeted (nuc-TERT) TERT via adenoviral transfection.
  • Confirmed subcellular localization using western blotting.
  • Assessed mtDNA copy number via quantitative PCR (qPCR), direct mito-TERT binding via ChIP-qPCR, and specific gene mRNA levels via qRT-PCR.

Main Results:

  • Mito-TERT specifically upregulated copy numbers of mitochondrial complex I genes (ND1/2), while nuc-TERT broadly affected genes across multiple complexes (I, III, IV, V).
  • A regulation specificity index indicated mito-TERT selectively enhanced ND1 copy number.
  • ChIP-qPCR confirmed mito-TERT binding to the ND1 and ND2 promoters, demonstrating direct gene regulation.

Conclusions:

  • TERT regulates mtDNA copy number through distinct, compartment-dependent mechanisms.
  • Mito-TERT mediates gene-specific regulation via direct promoter binding.
  • Nuc-TERT exhibits broader regulatory effects on mtDNA genes.
  • Stress-induced TERT redistribution and these findings suggest a multiphasic TERT-mediated neuroprotection paradigm in brain injury.