title: The 5'-terminal structures of murine alpha- and beta-globin messenger RNA.
abstract: The 5'-terminal structures of murine alpha- and beta-globin mRNA were determined after incubating cells of the erythropoietic spleens of mice with [methyl-3H]methionine. Globin mRNA was obtained from total cellular RNA by oligo(dT)-cellulose chromatography followed by elution of mRNA from formamide gels after electrophoresis. The globin mRNA was then hydrolyzed with KOH or digested with a combination of RNase T2 and bacterial alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-terminal structures were isolated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The methylated nucleotides of these 5'-structures were determined following digestion with specific ribonucleases and bacterial alkaline phosphatase. Analyses of mRNA fractions enriched for either alpha- or beta-mRNA gave similar results. Our data indicate that murine alpha- and beta-globin mRNAs are identical through the first three nucleotides and that partial dimethylation exists at the second position: m7G(5')ppp(5') [m6Am/Am]pCmpNp.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D005914:Globins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011061:Poly A / Q000032:analysis; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D005914:Globins