Alterations in Nuclear Ribonucleic Acid Metabolism Induced by Kinetin

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Abstract
Removal of deoxyribo-nucleic acid from meristematic onion root cells grown in solutions of kinetin, followed by metachromatic staining in azure B bromide, indicated the presence of appreciable amounts of ribonucleic acid in nuclei exposed to the cell division factor. Kinetin does not interfere with synthesis of DNA before initiation of division or with DNA metabolism throughout mitosis. The presence of greatly increased amounts of nuclear RNA following treatment with kinetin is evident, though quantitative and/or biochemical data are still needed to prove such increases conclusively. The origin and role of this ribonucleic acid and its specific influence on the mitotic cycle require further study.