The Nature of Chromosomes. I. Effects of Reagents on Root Tip Sections of Vicia faba

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sections fixed in Carnoy''s fluid were treated with solutions of Na3PO4, NaH2PO4, sodium phosphate at pH. 5, NaOH, and pepsin-HCl respectively. Na3PO4 and NaOH each caused swelling of nucleus and chromosomes and almost eliminated their staining capacities, the former reagent being more effective. The chromatin is considered to be dissolved away and to be homogeneous. A theory is proposed to account for chromonemata as indicating the presence of a thread of ultramicroscopic genes whose split halves repel each other within the chromosome, which is built up anew at each prophase. The suggestion is made that the visible parts of the chromosomes and nucleus form a medium for gene interaction, but are not themselves the physical basis of Mendelian heredity.