Identification of a stable nuclear RNA complementary to the 3'-end flanking sequence of the mouse β-major globin gene

A stable nuclear RNA of approximately 1600 nucleotides (nt) isolated from dimethyl sulfoxide-induced Friend erythroleukemia cells has been characterized. This RNA has been shown to be homologous to a region of unique sequences situated 3' to the mouse β-major globin gene between the poly(A) addition site and a BglII site located 1400 nt further downstream. It is transcribed from the same DNA strand as the β-major globin mRNA, and the amount of this RNA present in the cell is directly proportional to the level of β-globin mRNA. Therefore, the 1600-nt RNA appears to be related to the large primary transcript of the β-major globin gene. We feel that this RNA species is an unusually stable intermediate product of the early processing event which cleaves the primary transcript at the poly(A) addition site. The observed stability and discrete length which are contrary to the expected properties of such a processing intermediate may reflect peculiarities of the transformed state of the Friend erythroleukemia cells.