Demonstration of globin messenger sequences in giant nuclear precursors of messenger RNA of avian erythroblasts.

Highly purified globin mRNA from ducks was copied with RNA-directed DNA polymerase from avian myeloblastosis virus into anti-messenger DNA. With excess RNA, more than 90% of this DNA annealed back to its template with a C(o)t/2 value of 7.5 x 10(-4) mol.sec. liter(-1); the melting temperature of the hybrid was 86 degrees . Giant nuclear RNA fractions with sedimentation coefficients of more than 50 S formed hybrids of almost equal stability at C(o)t/2 values of 0.05-0.42 mol.sec. liter(-1), indicating amRNA content of 0.3-1.5%. 12S RNA from the same polyribosomes and nuclear giant RNA from HeLa cells did not cross-hybridize. Although a large part of the giant RNA broke down in 99% dimethylsulfoxide gradients, RNA fractions sedimenting faster than 28S rRNA still were found to consist of up to 0.03% globin mRNA sequences. Thus, the mRNA sequences are contained in the covalent structure of giant nuclear precursors, which are termed precursor-mRNA.