Effect of kinetin on the ecteola cellulose elution profile and other properties of RNA from the excised first seedling leaves of barley

Abstract

The total RNA isolated by phenol-sodium lauryl sulfate procedure from fresh barley leaves and from excised barley leaves floated for 4 days in the dark on water or on 10 mg per liter kinetin solution was compared regarding its nucleotide composition, melting curve, and elution profile on Ecteola anion exchanger. Only quantitative differences were noted in the Ecteola elution profile of RNA from the three sources. The RNA from all the three sources was also similar in the nucleotide composition and the shape of the melting curve. Quantitative differences in the amount of components (designated from “a” to “m”) of RNA from three sources were noted. The most significant difference was a 50% decrease in the amount of the principal RNA component, “K,” in leaves floated on water. The component “K” was eluted from the Ecteola column with 0.1 N NaOH and was not retarded by chromatography on Sephadex G-200. This component, which is regarded as representative of the major component of high molecular weight RNA, was preserved almost 100% in leaves floated on kinetin solution. It is suggested that kinetin, by stimulating synthesis and suppressing destruction of heavy RNA, may preserve the polyribosomes of the excised leaf and thus maintain protein synthesis, which is essential for the survival of the excised leaf.