Comparison of Poly(A)‐Containing RNAs in Different Cell Types of the Lower Eukaryote Schizophyllum commune

Abstract

Poly(A)-containing RNA were isolated from morphologically different cells of the fungus S. 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. Purified poly(A)-containing RNA represented the entire RNA complexity, i.e., 10,000 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%.