Isolation and separation of S-competent and S-incompetent nuclei from Tradescantia pollen grains

A method is described, using discontinuous sucrose density gradients, for the separation of generative and vegetative nuclei from young Tradescantia pollen grains during the period of DNA synthesis. The nuclei are obtained in 20–30% yield from the pollen grains; they are 85–95% pure (generative) and 70–80% pure (vegetative).