Nucleotide and corresponding amino acid sequences encoded by α and β tubulin mRNAs

Abstract
Most of the mRNA sequences coding for .alpha. and .beta. tubulin in embryonic chick brain were determined by sequencing of cloned c[complementary]DNA copies of these mRNA. From a 1682-base pair cDNA sequence the entire protein sequence for .beta. tubulin was deduced. For .alpha. tubulin, all but .apprx. 38 N-terminal amino acids were deduced from the cDNA sequence. Although tyrosine has previously been shown to be post-translationally added to the C-terminus of .alpha. tubulin by a specific ligase, the primary post-translational event must be the removal, not the addition, of tyrosine because a terminal tyrosine is encoded by the mRNA.