Separation and translation of the mRNAs coding for and chains of rabbit globin

A method is presented to separate the mRNAs coding for alpha and beta globins of rabbit reticulocytes. 10S RNA was extracted from the light and heavy polysomes created by incubation of reticulocytes with L-O-methylthreonine, and assayed for mRNA activity in an ascites cell-free extract. Tryptic digests of the in vitro products demonstrated that the heavy polysomes yielded beta globin mRNA at least 90% free of alpha mRNA activity, and that the light polysomes yielded alpha mRNA at least 70% free of beta mRNA activity.