telomerase holoenzyme complex

GO:0005697 · Ribonucleoprotein · Ribonucleoprotein complex · Proposed

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme complex, with a minimal catalytic core composed of a catalytic reverse transcriptase subunit and an RNA subunit that provides the template for telomeric DNA addition. In vivo, the holoenzyme complex often contains additional subunits. [GO:0005697]

UniProt location names: UniProt Consortium, CC BY 4.0. Reference label and route sources.

Components

Component	Type	Part of / acts on	Grounding	Genes	Stoichiometry	Essential	Role
telomerase RNA	Rna	part of	`SO:0000390`				RNA subunit that provides the template for telomeric DNA addition and is grounded to the telomerase_RNA Sequence Ontology term. `GO:0005697` GO:0005697 defines the telomerase holoenzyme complex as including an RNA subunit that provides the template for telomeric DNA addition. `SO:0000390` SO:0000390 is the Sequence Ontology telomerase_RNA term and lists telomerase RNA as an exact synonym.

Mechanism graphs

Telomerase RNA is a telomerase holoenzyme constituent (ASSEMBLY)

The telomerase holoenzyme complex contains telomerase RNA.

Subject	Predicate	Object	Evidence
telomerase RNA	contributes constituents to	telomerase holoenzyme complex	`GO:0005697` GO:0005697 defines the telomerase holoenzyme complex as including an RNA subunit.

Discussions

CURATION_TODO (OPEN): Resolve exact source-neutral protein components that form the telomerase holoenzyme complex. The first GO:0005697 record captures the SO-grounded telomerase RNA subunit from the GO definition. Exact telomerase reverse transcriptase and accessory subunit boundaries should be resolved before expanding this component list.

Evidence

GO:0005697 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for the telomerase holoenzyme complex.
GO:1990904 Gene Ontology cellular-component parent term for ribonucleoprotein complex.
GO:1902494 Gene Ontology cellular-component parent term for catalytic complexes.
SO:0000390 Sequence Ontology term for telomerase_RNA and its telomerase RNA exact synonym.
DOI:10.1128/MCB.22.7.2366-2374.2002 DOI for Livengood, Zaug and Cech 2002 as reported by NCBI E-utilities.
PMID:11884619 PubMed identifier for Livengood, Zaug and Cech 2002 as reported by NCBI E-utilities.

Curation history

2026-09-25T04:16:50Z codex · CREATED_RECORD — Scaffolded by scripts/new_record.py
2026-09-25T04:17:28Z codex · EXPANDED_RECORD — Added ribonucleoprotein parentage, the SO-grounded telomerase RNA component, GO/SO/PubMed evidence, a minimal telomerase RNA constituent graph and a protein-component grounding TODO.
2026-09-25T04:31:00Z codex · REVIEW_FIX — Added GO:1902494 catalytic complex as additional telomerase holoenzyme complex parentage.

Source: data/structures/ribonucleoprotein/telomerase_holoenzyme_complex.yaml