Low molecular weight nuclear RNA species in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Low molecular weight nuclear RNA (snRNA) species present in Dictyostelium discoideum Ax-3 cells were examined by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide slab gels. Dictyostelium nuclei were found to contain almost as many snRNA species as mammals and their electrophoretic pattern was similar to that of snRNA in mammalian cells. The same results were obtained with snRNA prepared using Cemusol NPT-12 as a detergent for cell lysis instead of Nonidet P-40 used for most RNA preparations.