- and β-tubulin mRNAs of Trypanosoma cruzi originate from a single multicistronic transcript

The cluster of alternated - and β-tubulin genes in the genome of Trypanosoma cruzi was shown to be transcribed into a single RNA molecule which upon processing gives rise to the mature - and β-tubulin mRNAs. This conclusion was based on: (i) nuclear RNA species with the same molecular mass hybridize to both - and β-tubulin cDNA probes; (ii) S₁ nuclease assay of the clustered tubulin genes has shown protected DNA fragments of the same size and of greater molecular mass than that corresponding to the mRNAs, hybridizable to both - and β-tubulin cDNA probes; (iii) β-tubulin hybrid selected RNA is still able to hybridize to -tubulin probe.