Two types of polyadenated mRNAs are synthesized from Drosophila replication-dependent histone genes.
The polyadenylation of replication-dependent histone H2B, H3 and H4 mRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster was analysed. Two types of mRNAs, containing a poly(A) tail, can be detected in addition to non-polyadenylated messengers, which represent the majority of replication-dependent histone mRNAs. Firstly, conventional polyadenylation signals, localized downstream from the stem-loop region, are used to produce polyadenylated mRNAs. The messengers of this type, generated from the D. melanogaster H2B gene, are preferentially synthesized in the testis of the fly. Secondly, a distinct type of polyadenylated histone mRNA has been identified. This mRNA, which is present in many different tissues and constitutes a minor part of the total histone mRNA pool, contains a short poly(A) tail, added to the end of the 3' terminal stem-loop structure, which is in most cases lacking several nucleotides from its 3' end. The sites of polyadenylation within the stem-loop are not preceded by a normal polyadenylation signal. The possible functions of the polyadenylated histone transcripts are discussed.
Akhmanova
A
A
Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics, Faculty of Sciences, Catholic University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Miedema
K
K
Kremer
H
H
Hennig
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics
D017931:DNA Primers; D006657:Histones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA