Transcription of polydeoxythymidylate sequences in the genome of the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum

Abstract

Messenger RNA of the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, contains about equimolar amounts of two classes of poly(adenylic acid) [poly(A)]; one is about 25 nucleotides long and the second about 100 nucleotides long. At least half of the messenger RNA molecules contain one sequence each of poly(A)(25) and poly(A)(100); both poly(A) sequences are located near the 3' end of messenger RNA, and the kinetics of their appearance on messenger RNA precursor indicates that poly(A)(25) is added before poly(A)(100). Dictyostelium nuclear DNA contains 14,000-15,000 sequences of poly(dT)(25) which could code for the smaller poly(A) residues. The poly(A)(100) must be added post-transcriptionally. The poly(dT)(25) sequences are interspersed throughout the genome and may well represent transcription termination regions.