RNA polymerase II transcribes Dictyostelium untranslatable gene, dutA, specifically in the developmental phase.

In Dictyostelium discoideum, a novel type of RNA (dutA RNA), which is untranslatable, cytosolic and 1.3 kb in size, appears specifically after the aggregation stage [Yoshida, H. et al. (1994) Nucleic Acids Res. 22, 41-46]. We here show that the dutA gene is transcribed by RNA polymerase II, based on its alpha-amanitin sensitive nature of in vitro transcriptional activity. We also show that the stage-specific accumulation of dutA RNA is primarily due to the stage-specific enhancement of the transcriptional activity of the gene.