PathwayStep4738 PathwayStep4737 The primase component of DNA polymerase:primase synthesizes a 6-10 nucleotide RNA primer on the G strand of the telomere The polymerase component of DNA polymerase alpha:primase synthesizes a 20-nucleotide primer on the G strand of the telomere Telomere C-strand synthesis initiation Authored: Blackburn, EH, Seidel, J, 2006-03-09 19:41:08 DNA polymerases are not capable of de novo DNA synthesis and require synthesis of a primer, usually by a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (primase) to begin DNA synthesis. In eukaryotic cells, the primer is synthesized by DNA polymerase alpha:primase. First, the DNA primase portion of this complex synthesizes approximately 6-10 nucleotides of RNA primer and then the DNA polymerase portion synthesizes an additional 20 nucleotides of DNA. There have been reports that TRF1 inhibits this activity at telomeres, though the mechanism and physiological relevance of this inhibition remain to be elucidated. GENE ONTOLOGYGO:0000722 Pubmed11327863 Pubmed11395402 Pubmed6693436 Reactome Database ID Release 43174430 Reactome, http://www.reactome.org ReactomeREACT_7993 Reviewed: Price, C, 2006-07-13 18:33:38