title: RNA 3' cleavage and polyadenylation in oocytes and unfertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis.
abstract: Xenopus laevis histone H4 and H1 genes were transcribed in vitro to generate artificial precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNAs). These pre-mRNAs were microinjected into oocytes, matured oocytes, and unfertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis and their 3' cleavage and polyadenylation were investigated. In the oocyte nucleus both H4 and H1 pre-mRNAs were 3' cleaved but were not detectably polyadenylated. In the oocyte cytoplasm there was neither 3' cleavage nor polyadenylation of these histone pre-mRNAs. When injected into either matured oocytes or unfertilized eggs, the pre-mRNAs underwent 3' cleavage but this was inefficient when compared to the oocyte nucleus. In addition approximately 50% of the remaining uncleaved pre-mRNA was subject to a polyadenylation activity which added A tails of approximately 70 A residues. In contrast, artificial mouse beta-globin pre-mRNAs were not detectably 3' cleaved or polyadenylated in either microinjected oocytes or unfertilized eggs.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008845:Microinjections; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism*; D011061:Poly A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D012322:RNA Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D005914:Globins