title: Identification of a large precursor of vitellogenin mRNA in the liver of estradiol-treated chicks.
abstract: Studies were performed to determine whether vitellogenin mRNA from avian liver has a precursor molecule or not. Total cellular RNA was prepared from estradiol-treated chicken liver in the presence of 8 M guanidine HCl, 2-mercaptoethanol and aurintricarboxylic acid. After denaturation, RNA was fractionated on sodium dodecylsulfate-sucrose gradients and large size RNA was analyzed under stringent conditions on 85% formamide-sucrose gradients at 25 degrees C. RNA fractions collected from the gradients were hybridized with vitellogenin (3H)-cDNA. Besides mature vitellogenin mRNA (32S, 7,000 nucleotides) vitellogenin sequences were also found in RNA fractions ranging from 38-50S with a peak at 45-50S (12-15,000 nucleotides). Only 5-10% of the putative 38-50S pmRNA is polyadenylated. We calculated that the half-life of vitellogenin pmRNA is about 3-4 minutes. We conclude that vitellogenin mRNA has a precursor which is twice the size of the mature mRNA.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014819:Vitellogenins; D004958:Estradiol