Floral Activity in Solutions of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Extracted from Tobacco Stems

Abstract

For Nicotiana tabacum cv. Wis. 38 plants, the capabilities of solutions containing DNA, extracted from either homogenates of stems in a floral state or nuclei of stems in a vegetative state, to effect flowering of vegetative plants have been studied. Previous work indicates that the DNA from homogenates of stems in a floral state is mainly nuclear. If DNA solutions are supplied to axillary buds of vegetative plants and if the axillary buds are defoliated every 4th day for 12 days, the buds supplied a solution of DNA from stems in a floral state initiate flowers under noninductive conditions, and the buds supplied a solution of DNA from stems in a vegetative state remain vegetative. Heating and rapidly cooling a solution of DNA from stems in a floral state enhances its floral activity. Heating and cooling a DNA solution also results in novel flowers showing up in many treated plants. Novel flowers are more striking in the offspring than in the parents. The capabilities of heated-cooled DNA solution to initiate flowers in noninductive conditions and to cause novel flowers are eliminated completely by treating (before heating and cooling) the DNA solution with deoxyribonuclease. Heated-cooled solutions of DNA extracted from nuclei of either vegetative stems or vegetative leaves contain no floral activity.