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Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Xenopus laevis as a Model to Identify Translation Impairment
Published on: September 27, 2015
Absence of polyadenylate segment in globin messenger RNA accelerates its degradation in Xenopus oocytes
Abstract:
Rabbit globin poly(A)-free and native mRNA preparations were microinjected into Xenopus oocytes. The amount of globin message remaining after incubation of injected oocytes was determined by molecular hybridization with a radioactive complementary DNA probe, synthesized by copying globin mRNA with purified RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) from avian myeloblastosis virus. The results show that 56 hr after injection about 85% of the poly(A)-free mRNA molecules are degraded, while native poly(A)-containing mRNA chains are almost completely preserved during the same period of time.
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