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PMID: 7512262 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Alu transcripts: cytoplasmic localisation and regulation by DNA methylation.

Nucleic acids research ·Vol. 22 ·No. 6 ·1994-03-25 ·Pages 1087-95

Liu WM, Maraia RJ, Rubin CM, Schmid CW

Abstract

Full length Alu transcripts in HeLa cells are detected by primer extension using reverse transcriptase and are also analyzed as cloned cDNA sequences. The 5' end of these transcripts corresponds to the transcriptional start site for RNA polymerase III indicating that these RNAs are transcribed from their internal polymerase III promoters. The Alu transcripts found in cytoplasmic poly A+ RNAs appear to be organized into RNPs as assayed by sucrose gradient sedimentation. Present at about one hundred to one thousand copies per cell, the Alu transcripts are rare as compared to 7SL RNA. In agreement with previous reports that methylation inhibits Pol III-directed transcription of Alu in vitro, treatment of HeLa cells with 5-azacytidine results in Alu DNA hypomethylation and an increase in the abundance of the Alu transcript. Sequence analysis shows that many different Alu repeats including members of all subfamilies are transcribed by Pol III in vivo. cDNA sequences of the Pol III-directed transcripts exactly match the A box of the Pol III promoter element whereas in other Alu transcripts this element is not faithfully conserved.

MeSH Terms
Azacitidine/pharmacology Base Sequence Blotting, Northern Cell Fractionation Centrifugation, Density Gradient Cytoplasm/chemistry DNA/metabolism DNA, Complementary/chemistry HeLa Cells Humans Methylation Molecular Sequence Data RNA/analysis,chemistry RNA Polymerase III/genetics,metabolism RNA, Messenger/analysis,chemistry Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid Ribonucleoproteins/analysis Ribosomes/chemistry
Chemicals
DNA, Complementary RNA, Messenger Ribonucleoproteins RNA DNA RNA Polymerase III Azacitidine
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Liu W M
Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis 95616.
Maraia R J
Rubin C M
Schmid C W
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Article Info
Journal
Nucleic acids research
Abbr.
Nucleic Acids Res
ISSN
0305-1048
DOI
10.1093/nar/22.6.1087
Published
1994-03-25
Pages
1087-95
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
0411011
PMCID
PMC307934
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM 21346 · United States
Databases
GENBANK
U02044, U02045, U02046, U02047, U02048, U02049, U02050, U02051, U02052, U02053, U02054, U02055, U02056, U02057, U02058, U02059, U02060, U02061, U02062, U02063, U02064, U02065, U02066, U02067, U02068
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1093/nar/22.6.1087 PMC Full Text View journal details
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