Terf1 - telomeric repeat binding factor 1

This gene encodes a protein that binds to repeats in telomeres to form a nucleoprotein complex that protects against the degradation of chromosomal ends. The encoded protein regulates the length of telomeres and is an integral structural component of the functional telomere. This protein is thought to play a role in spindle formation in mitosis. Mutations in this gene are associated with bone marrow failure. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2013]