Proteins encoded by two of these genes have strong biological connections to TL: CXXC5, which physically interacts with ATM and transcriptionally regulates p53 levels25; two proteins implicated in telomere length regulation; and BANP (also known as SMAR1), which forms a complex with p53 and functions as a tumor suppressor.26 This evidence concerns the gene CXXC5 and neoplasm.