Isolation and identification of separated messenger RNAs for rabbit alpha and beta globin.

Rabbit globin messenger RNA was separated into two species by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in formamide. The two species were isolated from the gel and assayed for messenger activity in the ascites cell-free system. The product of the cell-free system was analysed by column chromatography and by finger-printing. The RNA species with the lower mobility (mol. wt 227,000) codes mainly for β globin, whilst the RNA with the higher mobility (mol. wt 202,000) codes mainly for α globin. Fingerprint analysis of DNA copies of the separated mRNA species may be distinguished, and suggest that the polynucleotide sequences are of homogeneity comparable to the messenger activity. We conclude therefore that a physical separation of the two messenger species has been obtained.