Summary
The microphotometric two-wavelength method is demonstrated to permit, even with only an improvised optical set-up, DNA-measurements which would not be possible, at any rate not with a comparable accuracy, with the conventional method.
The data, in agreement with earlier results, show that the largest interphase nuclei in the root meristem have already completed their DNA-synthesis.
The mean DNA-contents per set of chromatids at late interphase, prophase, and telophase, appeared to be virtually identical. A natural variation in DNA-content, if any, between individual nuclei at these stage would have a coefficient of variation of significantly less, and most likely much less, than 7.3%. The data from metaphase to middle anaphase are, for technical reasons, not yet conclusive. An indicated, moderate, excess of Feulgen-dye in these as compared with earlier and later stages may not be real.
The results are fully compatible with a working hypothesis of strict constancy of the DNA-content per chromatid and of its precise doubling during DNA-synthesis (for necessary qualifications see the discussion). It is pointed out that apparently contradictory results by certain other authors do not, for methodological reasons, yet establish disproof of this hypothesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Alfert, M.: A cytochemical study of oogenesis and cleavage in the mouse. J. Cellul. a. Comp. Physiol.36, 381–406 (1950).
Alfert, M., andH. Swift: Nuclear DNA constancy. Exp. Cell Res.1953.
Bauer, H.: Die Feulgensche Nuklealfärbung in ihrer Anwendung auf cytologische Untersuchungen. Z. Zellforsch.15, 225–247 (1932).
Bullough, W. S.: The energy relations of mitotic activity. Biol. Reviews27, 133–168 (1952).
Bullough, W. S., andM. Johnson: The energy relations of mitotic activity in adult mouse epidermis. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond., Ser. B138, 562–575 (1951).
Caspersson, T.: Über den chemischen Aufbau der Strukturen des Zellkernes. Skand. Arch. Physiol.73, Suppl. 8, 1–151 (1936).
—: A universal ultramicrospectrograph for the optical range. Exper. Cell. Res.1, 595–598 (1950).
D'Amato, F.: The quantitative study of mitotic poisons by theAllium cepa test: data and problems. Protoplasma39, 423–433 (1950).
Darlington, C. D., andL. F. LaCour: Nucleic acid starvation of chromosomes inTrillium. J. Genet.40, 185–213 (1940).
DiStefano, H. S.: A cytochemical study of the Feulgen nucleal reaction. Chromosoma3, 282–301 (1948).
—: Feulgen hydrolysis with perchloric acid. Stain Technol.27, 171–174 (1952).
Duncan, R. E., andP. S. Woods: Some cytological aspects of antagonism in synthesis of nucleic acid. Chromosoma6, 45–60 (1953).
Geitler, L.: Über eine post-meiotische Teilungsanomalic und den Spiralbau der Chromosomen vonParis quadrifolia. Chromosoma2, 519–530 (1943).
Hashim, S. A.: Feulgen hydrolysis with phosphoric acid. Stain Technol.28, 27–31 (1953).
Hillary, B. B.: Use of the Feulgen reaction in cytology. I. Effect of fixatives on the reaction. Bot. Gaz.101, 276–300 (1939).
Huskins, C. L., andL. M. Steinitz: The nucleus in differentiation and development. I. Heterochromatic bodies in energic nuclei ofRhoeo roots. J. Hered.39, 35–43 (1948a).
—: The nucleus in differentiation and development. II. Induced mitoses in differentiated tissues ofRhoeo roots. J. Hered.39, 67–77 (1948b).
Milovidov, P. F.: Zur Theorie und Technik der Nuklealfärbung. Protoplasma25, 570–597 (1936).
Ornstein, L.: The distributional error in microspectrophotometry. Labor. Invest.1, 250–262 (1952).
Pasteels, J., etL. Lison: Recherches histophotométriques sur la teneur en acide désoxyribosenucléique au cours de mitoses somatiques. Archives de Biol.61, 445–474 (1950).
Patau, K.: Partiell heterochromatische Chromosomen bei Radiolarien. Arch. Protistenkde89, 393–404 (1937).
—: The DNA content of nuclei in root tips ofRhoeo discolor. Rec. Gen. Soc. Amer.21, 56 (1952a).
—: Absorption microphotometry of irregular-shaped objects. Chromosoma5, 341–362 (1952b).
Pelc, S. R., andA. Howard: Techniques of autoradiography and the application of the stripping-film method to problems of nuclear metabolism. Brit. Med. Bull.8, 132–135 (1952).
Persidsky, M. D.: A vibratory microtome for sectioning living tissue. J. Labor, a. Clin. Med.1953.
Ris, H.: The composition of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol.12, 158–160 (1947).
Ris, H., andA. E. Mirsky: Quantitative cytochemical determination of desoxyribonucleic acid with the Feulgen nucleal reaction. J. Gen. Physiol.33, 125–145 (1949).
Seshachar, B. R.: Desoxyribonucleic acid content of the Ciliate micronucleus. Nature165, 848 (1950).
Swift, H.: The desoxyribose nucleic acid content of animal nuclei. Physiologic. Zool.23, 169–198 (1950a).
—: The constancy of desoxyribose nucleic acid in plant nuclei. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.36, 643–654 (1950b).
—: Quantitative aspects of nuclear nucleoproteins. Internat. Rev. of Cytology2, 1–76 (1953).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution from the Program in Cytology, Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, supported in part by grants to Dr.C. Leonard Huskins from the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the Research Committee of the Graduate School with funds supplied by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
supported in part by the U. S. Public Health Service and the Wallace C. and Clara A. Abbott Memorial Fund.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Patau, K., Swift, H. The DNA-content (Feulgen) of nuclei during mitosis in a root tip of onion. Chromosoma 6, 149–169 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01259937
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01259937