Construction of recombinant plasmids containing rat muscle actin and myosin light chain DNA sequences.

Abstract
The construction and partial characterization of recombinant bacterial [Escherichia coli] plasmids carrying DNA sequences that hybridize with rat skeletal muscle actin and a myosin L chain mRNA is described. DNA of 1 clone hybridizes specifically with the muscle-specific .alpha.-actin mRNA. Three plasmid clones contain DNA inserts that hybridize with muscle and with nonmuscle actin mRNA. A 5th plasmid contains sequences complementary to mRNA coding for myosin L chain 2. DNA of this plasmid hybridizes specifically with RNA extracted from muscle and differentiated muscle cultures but not with RNA extracted from proliferating mononucleated myogenic cells.