Sequences complementary to the brain-specific "identifier" sequences exist in L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA (a liver-specific messenger) and in transcripts especially abundant in muscle.

A sequence complementary to the brain-specific identifier sequence has been found in the 3' untranslated extension of the heavy 3.2-kilobase (kb) long liver L-type pyruvate kinase mRNA while it is absent in the other two 2- and 2.2-kb long pyruvate kinase mRNA species. A 53-base fragment corresponding to this identifier sequence was subcloned in both orientations in the single-stranded bacteriophage M13, both strands being used as probes to detect homologous sequence in different tissues. Both strands are transcribed in various tissues and are detected in heterogeneous high molecular weight RNA species which are especially abundant in the adult muscle. In addition, the probe identical to the identifier sequence recognized a discrete 0.6-kb RNA species in the muscle and the probe complementary to the identifier-sequence recognized the expected two small brain-specific identifier BC-1 and BC-2 RNAs described by Sutcliffe et al. (Sutcliffe, J. G., Milner, R. J., Bloom, F. E., and Lerner, R. A. (1982) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 79, 4942-4946; Sutcliffe, J. G., Milner, R. J., Gottesfeld, J. M., and Lerner, R. A. (1984) Nature 308, 237-241; Milner, R. J., Bloom, F. E., Lai, C., Lerner, R. A., and Sutcliffe, J. G. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 81, 713-717; Sutcliffe, J. G., Milner, R. J., Gottesfeld, J. M., and Reynolds, W. (1984) Science 225, 1308-1314).