Mammalian telomerase

An isolated oligonucleotide between 25 and 1000 nucleotides in length in a sequence identical or complementary to a contiguous sequence contained within a human genomic DNA sequence "encoding the RNA component of human telomerase" located in an .about.2.5 kb HindIII-SacI insert of plasmid pGRN33 (ATCC 75926).

Isolated RNA component of human telomerase.

An oligonucleotide of SEQ ID NO:

• 22, 23, 24 or 25.

A host cell transformed with a recombinant nucleic acid comprising an oligonucleotide having a contiguous sequence of at least 25 nucleotides in a sequence complementary or identical to a human genomic DNA sequence encoding the RNA component of human telomerase located in an .about.2.5 kb HindIII-Sac I insert of plasmid pGRN33 (ATCC 75926).

A method for producing the RNA component of human telomerase comprising the step of culturing a eukaryotic host cell transformed with a recombinant nucleic acid comprising a promoter positioned to drive the transcription of an oligonucleotide encoding an RNA component of human telomerase.

A method for producing a recombinant telomerase enzyme, said method comprising transforming a eukaryotic host cell capable of expressing protein components of telomerase, with a recombinant nucleic acid comprising a promoter positioned to drive the transcription of an oligonucleotide encoding the RNA component of human telomerase, said recombinant nucleic acid functioning to produce the oligonucleotide in a eukaryotic cell, and culturing said host cells transformed with said vector under conditions such that the protein components and RNA component are expressed and assemble to form an active telomerase molecule capable of adding sequences to telomeres of chromosomal DNA.