Distinct α‐Tropomyosin mRNA Sequences in Chicken Skeletal Muscle

Abstract

Recombinant plasmids were isolated which contained sequences complementary to 2 distinct .alpha.-tropomyosin mRNA species present in chicken leg muscle. The proteins coded for by these different mRNA were distinguished by their electrophoretic behavior in the presence of 3.5 M urea. The properties of the minor .alpha.-tropomyosin of chicken leg muscle were similar to those reported for the .alpha.-tropomyosin of slow twitch chicken skeletal muscle. Sequence analysis of available plasmids showed that the deduced protein sequences of both types of .alpha.-tropomyosin were very similar and closely related to the known protein sequence of rabbit .alpha.-tropomyosin. Considerable variation in nucleotide coding sequence of the 2 .alpha.-tropomyosin mRNA was found.