Change in message sequences during erythrodifferentiation.

The change in the poly A(+) mRNA population during erythrodifferentiation was analyzed by cDNA-RNA hybridization. Poly A(+) RNA was isolated from spleen erythroblasts. When mice became anemic, the amount of globin mRNA increased to 50% of the total poly A(+) mRNA. cDNA from anemic spleen erythroblasts that did not contain globin mRNA sequences was cross-hybridized with mRNAs from mouse reticulocytes and cultured Friend leukemia (FL) cells. Only half the spleen cDNA hybridized with reticulocyte mRNA, whereas most of it hybridized with mRNA from FL cells. The results suggest that decrease in the complexity of the message population and increase in the concentration of globin mRNA are important in erythrodifferentiation.