TRANSCRIPTION OF THE MRP RNA GENE IN FROG STAGE-I OOCYTES REQUIRES A NOVEL CIS-ELEMENT

The RNA component of the mitochondrial RNA processing (MRP) enzyme is related to both replication of mitochondrial DNA and processing of 5.8 S rRNA, which are accelerated in the frog earliest stage (stage I) of frog oocytes. Microinjection of the deleted genes into the stage I ooc ytes showed positive cis-elements in the upstream region of the gene. The specific binding of protein(s) to this region was detected in cell extracts from stage I oocytes and liver but not in extracts of stage II-TV oocytes and the concentration of this protein was 40 times highe r in the extract of stage I oocytes than that in liver. (C) 1994 Acade mic Press, Inc.