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. 1986 Jul;6(7):2511–2519. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.7.2511

Alternative RNA splicing generates transcripts encoding a thorax-specific isoform of Drosophila melanogaster myosin heavy chain.

S I Bernstein, C J Hansen, K D Becker, D R Wassenberg 2nd, E S Roche, J J Donady, C P Emerson Jr
PMCID: PMC367805  PMID: 2431291

Abstract

Genomic and cDNA sequencing studies show that transcripts from the muscle myosin heavy-chain (MHC) gene of Drosophila melanogaster are alternatively spliced, producing RNAs that encode at least two MHC isoforms with different C termini. Transcripts encoding an MHC isoform with 27 unique C-terminal amino acids accumulate during both larval and adult muscle differentiation. Transcripts for the second isoform encode one unique C-terminal amino acid and accumulate almost exclusively in pupal and adult thoracic segments, the location of the indirect flight muscles. The 3' splice acceptor site preceding the thorax-specific exon is unusually purine rich and thus may serve as a thorax-specific splicing signal. We suggest that the alternative C termini of these two MHC isoforms control myofilament assembly and may play a role in generating the distinctive myofilament organizations of flight muscle and other muscle types.

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Selected References

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