In order to investigate some of the cytochemical processes involved in interphase growth and culminating in cell division, a combined autoradiographic and microphotometric study of nucleic acids and proteins was undertaken on statistically seriated cells of Vicia faba root meristems. Adenine-8-C14 and uridine-H3 were used as ribonucleic acid (RNA) precursors, thymidine-H3 as a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) precursor, and phenylalanine-3-C14 as a protein precursor. Stains used in microphotometry were Feulgen (DNA), azure B (RNA), pH 2.0 fast green (total protein), and pH 8.1 fast green (histone). The autoradiographic data (representing rate of incorporation per organelle) and the microphotometric data (representing changes in amounts of the various components) indicate that the mitotic cycle may be divided into several metabolic phases, three predominantly anabolic (net increase), and a fourth phase predominantly catabolic (net decrease). The anabolic periods are: 1. Telophase to post-telophase during which there are high rates of accumulation of cytoplasmic and nucleolar RNA and nucleolar and chromosomal total protein. 2. Post-telophase to preprophase characterized by histone synthesis and a diphasic synthesis of DNA with the peak of synthesis at mid-interphase and a minor peak just preceding prophase. The minor peak is coincident with a relatively localized DNA synthesis in several chromosomal regions. This period is also characterized by minimal accumulations of cytoplasmic RNA and chromosomal and nucleolar total protein and RNA. 3. Preprophase to prophase in which there are again high rates of accumulation of cytoplasmic RNA, and nucleolar and chromosomal total protein and RNA. The catabolic phase is: 4. The mitotic division during which there are marked losses of cytoplasmic RNA and chromosomal and nucleolar total protein and RNA.
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1 February 1961
Content prior to 1962 was published under the journal name
The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology
Article|
February 01 1961
NUCLEIC ACID AND PROTEIN METABOLISM DURING THE MITOTIC CYCLE IN VICIA FABA
John Woodard,
John Woodard
From the Whitman Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago
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Ellen Rasch,
Ellen Rasch
From the Whitman Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago
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Hewson Swift
Hewson Swift
From the Whitman Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago
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John Woodard
From the Whitman Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago
Ellen Rasch
From the Whitman Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago
Hewson Swift
From the Whitman Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago
Received:
July 24 1960
Copyright, 1961, by The Rockefeller Institute Press
1961
J Biophys and Biochem Cytol (1961) 9 (2): 445–462.
Article history
Received:
July 24 1960
Citation
John Woodard, Ellen Rasch, Hewson Swift; NUCLEIC ACID AND PROTEIN METABOLISM DURING THE MITOTIC CYCLE IN VICIA FABA . J Biophys and Biochem Cytol 1 February 1961; 9 (2): 445–462. doi: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.9.2.445
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