Regulation of alpha- and beta-tubulin mRNAs in rat brain during synaptogenesis

Developmental alterations in alpha- and beta-tubulin mRNA in polysomes from brains of -3 days (fetal) to 30-day-old rats were quantitated by using well-characterized chicken alpha- and beta-tubulin cDNA probes, pT1 and pT2 having 80-90% homology with rat sequences. Northern blot analysis revealed a single major (greater than 95%) 1.8 kb mRNA for both alpha- and beta-tubulin. Quantitation by slot hybridization indicates a virtually coordinate expression of alpha- and beta-tubulin mRNA with a maximal level around day 5 after birth, which represents the mid-phase of synaptogenesis.