Construction of bacterial plasmids containing sequences complementary to chicken alpha-tropomyosin mRNA.

Recombinant plasmids have been constructed with contain sequences complementary to the mRNA coding for skeletal muscle alpha-tropomyosin. These recombinants were detected initially using a selective cDNA probe and subsequently using a messenger RNA selection assay. alpha-TM plasmids hybridize to a singly mRNA species smaller than 18S ribosomal RNA and found only in skeletal muscle. Cross-hybridization with mRNA's coding for other tropomyosins could not be detected under normal conditions. However, under conditions of reduced stringency alpha- TM plasmids cross-hydridize with an RNA species in heart muscle which may code for cardiac tropomyosin.