Specific down-regulation of β1 tubulin mRNA in the absence of NF-E2.

(A) Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis on mRNA isolated from wild-type (+/+) and mutant (−/−) purified primary megakaryocytes using primers specific for the β1 and β5 tubulin isoforms, or for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) and p45 NF-E2 as controls. RT treatment of the template and numbers of PCR cycles are indicated. (B) Northern blot analysis of wild-type (+/+) and mutant (−/−) primary megakaryocytes, using β1 tubulin and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, loading control) cDNA probes.