EVIDENCE FOR A LOCALIZATION SIGNAL IN THE 3'UNTRANSLATED REGION OF MYOSIN HEAVY-CHAIN MESSENGER-RNA

Localization signals in the 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of myosin he avy chain mRNA were investigated using hybrid gene constructs. In myob lasts transfected with constructs containing either both coding sequen ces and 3'UTR of the rabbit beta-globin gene or the beta-globin coding sequences alone in situ hybridization showed that globin transcripts were distributed throughout the cytoplasm with no localization. In con trast, in myoblasts transfected with beta-globin coding sequences link ed to the myosin heavy chain 3'UTR there was strong perinuclear locali zation of the hybrid mRNA; this was maintained in myotubes. We conclud e that myosin heavy chain 3'UTR contains a localization signal. (C) 19 97 Academic Press Limited.