Messenger RNAs from the transforming region of bovine papilloma virus type I

Abstract

Messenger RNAs present in C127 mouse cells transformed by bovine papilloma virus type 1 (BPV-1) were studied by the S1 nuclease protection technique, Northern blotting, and electron microscopic heteroduplex analysis. The results revealed at least five classes of spliced mRNAs which we designate types 1 to 5. They had a common poly(A) addition site located at co-ordinate 53 and all mRNAs, except the type 3 mRNAs, contained an exon located between co-ordinates 41 and 53. In the type 1 mRNAs this exon was connected to a very short leader sequence located around co-ordinate 31. The type 2 mRNAs contained 220 to 400-nucleotide long leaders which were located approximately 1.5 X 10(3) base-pairs further upstream. Two different subclasses of type 2 molecules (2A and 2B) were identified and these had slightly different leaders. The type 4 mRNAs contained a bipartite leader, whereas the type 5 mRNAs carried an approximately 900-nucleotide long leader. The type 3 mRNAs consisted of a main exon located between co-ordinates 32 and 53, linked to the same leader as is present in the type 2A mRNAs. A cap site which presumably is utilized by the type 2A, type 3, type 4 and type 5 mRNAs was mapped at nucleotide 89 in the BPV-1 sequence. A putative cap site for the type 1 mRNAs was mapped at co-ordinate 31.