Structure and processing of precursor 5 S RNA in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract The 135-nucleotide-long “5 + S” RNA molecule found in Drosophila tissue culture cells after labelling at 37 °C has been identified as a precursor to 5 S RNA by pulse-chase experiments. The structure of the 15-nucleotide-long 3′-terminal sequence which differentiates this molecule from mature 5 S RNA has been determined. This ends in a stretch of U residues, suggestive of a polymerase termination signal.