Determining [3H]Thymidine Incorporation into Bacterioplankton DNA: Improvement of the Method by DNase Treatment

Determination of [³H] thymidine incorporation into bacterial DNA versus other macromolecules is usually achieved by NaOH and hot trichloroacetic acid hydrolysis. This procedure was found not to be specific enough. An alternative method founded on DNase treatment is proposed. Under the new method, the fraction of thymidine incorporated into DNA ranged from 10 to 83%.