title: Oligo(U) sequences present in sea urchin maternal RNA decrease following fertilization.
abstract: Oligo(U) tracts were identified and measured in RNA from sea urchin eggs and embryos using a quantitative assay based on the amount of [3H]poly(A) protected from RNase T2 in duplexes with the oligo(U). The oligo(U) amounted to 0.0035% of egg RNA (0.063 X 10(-12) g/egg) and decreased to 0.0015% (0.027 X 10(-12) g/embryo) by 2 hr after fertilization. The oligo(U) tracts had a maximum size of 15-30 nucleotides and were associated with two size classes of RNA. In eggs about half were in 100 to 200 nucleotide RNA and half in mRNA-sized molecules. After fertilization, the oligo(U) in the population of large-mRNA-sized molecules was greatly reduced.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000032:analysis*; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000032:analysis*; D010063:Ovum / Q000032:analysis*; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000502:physiology; D014500:Uracil Nucleotides / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D014500:Uracil Nucleotides; C027916:oligo(U); D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA