HeLa cells were lysed in NP40 Lysis buffer and q-TRAP analysis was carried out. Briefly, lysates were mixed with EGTA (NC9118216), Platinum Taq polymerase (10966034, Life), ACX primer (5′-GCG CGG CTT ACC CTT ACC CTT ACC CTA ACC-3′), TS primer (5′-AAT CCG TCG AGC AGA GTT-3′), and either SYBR Green Master Mix (4367659, Life) or Forget-Me-Not qPCR Master Mix with Rox (31042–1, Biotium). Samples were incubated for 30 min at 30° C for telomerase extension, then 95° C for 10 min to deactivate telomerase and activate Platinum Taq polymerase, then 40 cycles of 95° C for 15 sec and 60° C for 1 min. Amplification was normalized to a standard curve of HeLa lysates diluted 1:5 from 1 µg/well to 8 ng/well.