Description:
A gene that makes a protein involved in maintaining telomeres (the ends of chromosomes) and in repairing chromosomes. Mutations (changes) in the TERC gene have been found in a rare, inherited condition called dyskeratosis congenita (DKC) and in some other conditions. People with DKC have abnormal changes in the skin and nails and white patches inside the mouth. They also have an increased risk of bone marrow failure (a condition in which the bone marrow does not make enough blood cells), myelodysplastic syndrome, pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs), and certain types of cancer.
