Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!wuarchive!bcm!bionet!urz.unibas.ch!suter2
From: suter2@urz.unibas.ch (clemens suter-crazzolara)
Newsgroups: bionet.general
Subject: a/t stretches
Message-ID: <65*.S=suter2.OU=urz.O=unibas.PRMD=SWITCH.ADMD=ARCOM.C=CH.@MHS>
Date: 17 Feb 91 18:14:24 GMT
Sender: daemon@genbank.bio.net
Lines: 22

dear netters

a w few days back i asked whether anybody had an explanation
for the occurence of a/t stretches in the upstream and
downstream regions of a small rna gene (mammalian) that we have cloned.
our gene contains five such stretches, each about 11 bp long, one
is located between promoter and enhancer.
i recieved several hints what their function could be: one of these
was that they play a role in transcription (that is, they function
as regions that have promoter activity, or regions that are
easily melted).
What i did not stress (and i should have, foolish me) is that
these stretches consist of 10 As or 10 Ts *exclusively*, that is
they resemble the A or T stretches found in cDNA clones (resulting
from polyadenylation). as a matter of fact, after obtaining a clone,
my first impression was that we were dealing with a pseudogene.
Did any of you see these a *or* t stretches before (this was my question,
and still is) and do any of you know there function and/or origin ?
i am greatful for any hint to their nature !


thanks, clemens