Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41279515›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2025

Antiviral reverse transcriptases reveal the evolutionary origin of telomerase.

Stephen Tang, Josephine L Ramirez, Mario Rodríguez Mestre, Dennis J Zhang, Megan Wang, Tanner Wiegand, Yanzhe Ma, Marko Jovanovic, Rafael Pinilla-Redondo, Samuel H Sternberg

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Stephen TangDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5492-9796
Josephine L RamirezDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.
Mario Rodríguez MestreSection of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen; Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dennis J ZhangSection of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen; Copenhagen, Denmark.
Megan WangDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.
Tanner WiegandDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.
Yanzhe MaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.
Marko JovanovicDepartment of Biological Sciences, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.
Rafael Pinilla-RedondoSection of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen; Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-3521-460X
Samuel H SternbergDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8240-9114

Funding

Medical Scientist Training ProgramT32GM145440 · NIGMS · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI STEVEN L REINER · 2022 to 2026
$7.3M
How dynamic molecular interactions of RNA Binding Proteins drive post-transcriptional gene expression changesR35GM152258 · NIGMS · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · PI Marko Jovanovic · 2024 to 2026
$1.6M
Mechanisms of reverse transcriptase mediated phage resistance in EnterobacteriaceaeF30AI183830 · NIAID · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI Stephen Tang · 2024 to 2026
$158k
NIAID NIH HHS F30 AI183830NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM152258NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM145440
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Defense-associated reverse transcriptases (DRTs) employ diverse and distinctive mechanisms of cDNA synthesis to protect bacteria against viral infection. However, much of DRT family diversity remains unstudied. Here we identify a new antiviral defense system, DRT10, that associates with a noncoding RNA (ncRNA) to catalyze processive, protein-primed synthesis of tandem-repeat DNA. Repeat addition is dictated by sequence and structural features of the ncRNA that have direct parallels in the RNA component of telomerase. Remarkably, a phylogenetic analysis of RTs across domains of life reveals an unexpected link between DRT10 and telomerase that is further supported by structural comparisons and mechanistic evidence. These findings expand the repertoire of reverse transcription mechanisms in antiviral defense and point to a bacterial origin for telomerase.

Identifiers

PMID41279515
PMCPMC12632851

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.