Introns in histone genes alter the distribution of 3' ends

Chimeric genes were constructed which contained either a histone or globin promoter, a human alpha-globin coding region as a cDNA or containing one or both intervening sequences, and the 3' end of a mouse histone H2a gene. The genes were introduced into mouse L cells or Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. The genes containing at least one intervening sequence produced two mRNAs in about equal amounts, one which ended at a cryptic polyadenylation site 33 nucleotides 3' to the normal histone mRNA 3' end and one which ended at the normal histone 3' end. In contrast, the same construct containing a globin cDNA yielded mRNA ending only at the correct histone 3' end. Similar proportions of polyadenylated and non-polyadenylated mRNA were obtained when the cryptic polyadenylation signal was replaced with the globin polyadenylation signal. More than 90% of the transcripts were accurately spliced. All of the unspliced transcripts had histone 3' ends.