COMPARISON OF POLY(A)-CONTAINING RNAS IN DIFFERENT CELL-TYPES OF THE LOWER EUKARYOTE SCHIZOPHYLLUM-COMMUNE

Poly(A)‐containing RNAs were isolated from morphologically different cells of the fungus Schizophyllum commune. Using mRNA markers the number‐average length of poly(A)‐containing RNA in total RNA and in purified poly(A)‐containing RNA was estimated as 1100 nucleotides. Number‐average length of poly(A)‐tracts was 33 nucleotides. 2.5% of total RNA is poly(A)‐containing RNA and probably up to 7.5% are non‐polyadenylated polydisperse RNA sequences. Saturation hybridization of poly(A)‐containing RNA to gap‐translated [3H]DNA resulted in 16% of the reactive single‐copy DNA to become S1 nuclease resistant. It was found that purified poly(A)‐containing RNA represented the entire RNA complexity, i. e. 10000 different RNA sequences in S. commune. RNA sequences isolated from morphologically different mycelia and from fruiting and non‐fruiting mycelia were identical for at least 90%. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved