TERC

telomerase RNA component

Gene Information

Gene Symbol
TERC
Aliases
TR, hTR, TRC3, SCARNA19, TER, DKCA1, PFBMFT2
HGNC ID
HGNC:11727
NCBI Gene ID
7012
Ensembl Gene ID
ENSG00000270141
Gene Type
lncRNA

Genomic Location

Chromosome
3
Assembly
GRCh38
Start Position
169,764,610
End Position
169,765,060
Number of Exons
1
Gene Length
451 bp

Overview

The RNA component of telomerase, TERC is involved in elongating the telomeres and is a critical factor in cellular senescence.TERC disruption in mice shortens lifespan and increases tumour incidence but it does not appear to accelerate ageing. Late-generation mice with disrupted TERC, and hence with shorter telomeres, when combined with mutations in ATM or WRN may suffer from accelerated ageing. Telomere shortening in mice lacking TERC also appears to impact on the pathologies caused by mutations in BLM. Human mutations in TERC are a cause of dyskeratosis congenita, a skin and bone marrow failure syndrome which is not classified as accelerated ageing.

Research Papers

20 papers in databaseSearch for More Papers
#1
Score:
90%

Mutations in the telomerase component NHP2 cause the premature ageing syndrome dyskeratosis congenita.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
2008
PMID: 18523010

Modification Effects

NHP2 mutations; reduced telomerase RNA levels and telomere maintenance

Longevity Association

Premature aging syndrome dyskeratosis congenita; short telomeres, low TERC levels, and early onset of aging-related abnormalities in humans

#2
Score:
90%

A novel autosomal recessive TERT T1129P mutation in a dyskeratosis congenita family leads to cellular senescence and loss of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells not reversible by mTOR-inhibition.

Aging (Albany NY)
2015
PMID: 26546739

Modification Effects

TERT T1129P mutation; impaired telomerase activity, reduced CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells

Longevity Association

Premature cellular senescence, bone marrow failure; mTOR inhibition partially rescues fibroblast survival but not HSC function in mice

#3
Score:
90%

Restoration of telomerase activity rescues chromosomal instability and premature aging in Terc-/- mice with short telomeres.

EMBO Rep
2001
PMID: 11520856

Modification Effects

Re-introduction of telomerase activity; restoration of telomere length and function

Longevity Association

Rescue of premature aging in Terc-/- mice; mechanism: restoration of telomere length and reduction of chromosomal instability

#4
Score:
90%

Loss of Growth Differentiation Factor 11 Shortens Telomere Length by Downregulating Telomerase Activity.

Front Physiol
2021
PMID: 34588995

Modification Effects

GDF11 deletion; downregulation of TERT and TERC, reduced telomerase activity; GDF11 overexpression restores TERT transcription

Longevity Association

Telomere shortening; delayed replicative cellular senescence potential through telomere maintenance; mechanism: telomerase activity regulation

#5
Score:
90%

Lung alveolar integrity is compromised by telomere shortening in telomerase-null mice.

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
2009
PMID: 18952756

Modification Effects

Telomere shortening; cellular senescence, DNA damage, and activation of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) stress response pathway

Longevity Association

Compromised lung alveolar integrity, increased alveolar size, and decreased collagen content in telomerase-null mice; mechanism: telomere shortening leading to cellular senescence and oxidative stress

#6
Score:
80%

Telomere dysfunction induces metabolic and mitochondrial compromise.

Nature
2011
PMID: 21307849

Modification Effects

Telomere dysfunction represses PGC-1alpha and PGC-1beta expression; impaired mitochondrial biogenesis and function

Longevity Association

Organ and metabolic failure, diminished organismal fitness in mice; mechanism: telomere-p53-PGC axis, increased reactive oxygen species

#7
Score:
80%

Mitochondrion-processed TERC regulates senescence without affecting telomerase activities.

Protein Cell
2019
PMID: 30788732

Modification Effects

TERC processed to TERC-53 in mitochondria; regulates cellular senescence without affecting telomerase activity

Longevity Association

Regulates cellular senescence and cognition decline in 10-month-old mice; potential mechanism: mitochondrial function signaling

#8
Score:
80%

Telomere length and aging-related outcomes in humans: A Mendelian randomization study in 261,000 older participants.

Aging Cell
2019
PMID: 31444995

Longevity Association

Lowered risk of coronary heart disease (OR = 0.95); raised risk of cancer (OR = 1.11) with longer telomere length in humans

#9
Score:
80%

Telomere Length Is Associated With Adverse Atrial Remodeling in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

J Am Heart Assoc
2025
PMID: 39895528

Modification Effects

Telomere shortening; altered gene expression profiles, increased left atrial fibrosis

Longevity Association

Advanced atrial fibrosis and short telomeres associated with poor outcome after catheter ablation in humans; mechanism: telomere shortening leads to cardiac fibrosis and perpetuates atrial fibrillation

#10
Score:
80%

TERT rs2736100 and TERC rs16847897 genotypes moderate the association between internalizing mental disorders and accelerated telomere length attrition among HIV+ children and adolescents in Uganda.

BMC Med Genomics
2021
PMID: 33407441

Modification Effects

TERT rs2736100 and TERC rs16847897 genotypes; altered telomerase activity

Longevity Association

Accelerated telomere length attrition among HIV+ children and adolescents in Uganda; mechanism: genetic moderation of internalizing mental disorders' impact on telomere homeostasis

#11
Score:
80%

Premature ageing of lung alveoli and bone marrow cells from Terc deficient mice with different telomere lengths.

Sci Rep
2025
PMID: 39971959

Modification Effects

Terc gene mutation; decreased telomerase activity, altered telomere maintenance

Longevity Association

Shortened lifespan in Terc deficient mice; premature ageing of lung alveoli and bone marrow cells, more pronounced in short-telomere CAST/EiJ strain

#12
Score:
80%

TERC polymorphisms are associated both with susceptibility to colorectal cancer and with longer telomeres.

Gut
2012
PMID: 21708826

Modification Effects

TERC polymorphisms (rs10936599, rs2293607); altered TERC mRNA expression and telomere length

Longevity Association

Association with longer telomeres and potential reduced cell senescence; increased risk of colorectal cancer in humans

#13
Score:
80%

Rare Protein-Altering Telomere-related Gene Variants in Patients with Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

Am J Respir Crit Care Med
2019
PMID: 31268371

Modification Effects

Rare protein-altering variants in telomere-related genes (e.g., TERT, TERC, DKC1, RTEL1, PARN, TINF2); predicted to be damaging to protein function

Longevity Association

Reduced transplant-free survival in humans with CHP; mechanism: short peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length, associated with poor outcomes

#14
Score:
80%

Telomerase deficiency delays renal recovery in mice after ischemia-reperfusion injury by impairing autophagy.

Kidney Int
2015
PMID: 25760322

Modification Effects

Telomerase (TerT or TerC) deficiency; impaired autophagy, increased cell senescence, and altered mTOR pathway activation

Longevity Association

Delayed renal recovery in mice after ischemia-reperfusion injury; mechanism: impaired autophagy and increased cell senescence

#15
Score:
80%

GSE4, a Small Dyskerin- and GSE24.2-Related Peptide, Induces Telomerase Activity, Cell Proliferation and Reduces DNA Damage, Oxidative Stress and Cell Senescence in Dyskerin Mutant Cells.

PLoS One
2015
PMID: 26571381

Modification Effects

GSE4 peptide expression; increased telomerase activity, reduced DNA damage, and oxidative stress; activated c-myc and TERT promoters

Longevity Association

Reduced cell senescence, DNA damage, and oxidative stress in dyskerin-mutated cells; potential therapeutic effect on dyskeratosis congenita

#16
Score:
80%

Robust DNA Damage Response and Elevated Reactive Oxygen Species in TINF2-Mutated Dyskeratosis Congenita Cells.

PLoS One
2016
PMID: 26859482

Modification Effects

TINF2 mutation; activated DNA damage response, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and elevated p53 levels

Longevity Association

Premature aging disorder with shortened telomeres; potential therapeutic benefits of antioxidants in Dyskeratosis Congenita patients, with 2-fold increased proliferation and 5-fold decreased p53 levels

#17
Score:
80%

Common variants near TERC are associated with leukocyte telomere length in the Chinese Han population.

Eur J Hum Genet
2011
PMID: 21304559

Modification Effects

SNPs rs12696304 and rs16847897 near TERC; associated with shorter mean telomere length (0.024 and 0.031 T/S respectively)

Longevity Association

Equivalent to 3-4 years of average age-related telomere attrition; association with leukocyte telomere length in Chinese Han population

#18
Score:
80%

Telomere dysfunction impairs epidermal stem cell specification and differentiation by disrupting BMP/pSmad/P63 signaling.

PLoS Genet
2019
PMID: 31518356

Modification Effects

Telomere shortening; disruption of BMP/pSmad/P63 signaling, up-regulation of Follistatin (Fst), inhibition of pSmad signaling, down-regulation of P63 and epidermal keratins

Longevity Association

Premature aging, skin atrophy, and hair loss in mice; mechanism: telomere dysfunction disrupting BMP signaling and epidermal stem cell specification

#19
Score:
80%

Disruption of ZC3H15 compromises telomere length maintenance by entrapping telomerase within cajal bodies.

Cell Biosci
2025
PMID: 40696438

Modification Effects

ZC3H15 deletion; upregulated telomerase activity, altered TERC RNA processing, and disrupted telomerase localization

Longevity Association

Induced senescence in HTC75 cells; shortened telomeres, potential impact on aging and cancer; mechanism: disrupted telomere length maintenance and telomerase regulation

#20
Score:
80%

Postmitotic neurons develop a p21-dependent senescence-like phenotype driven by a DNA damage response.

Aging Cell
2012
PMID: 22882466

Modification Effects

DNA damage induces p21-dependent senescence-like phenotype in postmitotic neurons; features include activated p38MAPkinase, high ROS production, and interleukin IL-6 production

Longevity Association

Senescence-like phenotype in neurons contributes to brain aging; caloric restriction decreases frequency of senescent neurons, while dysfunctional telomeres aggravate the phenotype in mice

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