Open AccessBinding of Radioactive Homopolynucleotides to RNA
Author(s) -
Fraser Ronald S. S.,
Loening Ulrich E.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1973.tb02741.x
Subject(s) - rna , messenger rna , reticulocyte , chemistry , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , electrophoresis , nucleotide , biology , gene
A simple method is described for the characterisation and assay of messenger RNAs which contain polyadenylic acid sequences. Total RNA is mixed with radioactive polyuridylic acid or polythymidylic acid, which bind to polyadenylic acid sequences. When the mixture is fractionated by gel electrophoresis or sedimentation, the radioactivity profile then shows the distribution of those RNAs which contain polyadenylic acid sequences. The amount of homopolynucleotide bound is measure of the amount of messenger RNA present. The detection and assay of 10‐S haemoglobin mRNA in mouse‐reticulocyte total RNA is shown as an example of the technique.