Selective effect of hormones on nucleic acid metabolism during germination of pear embryos

1. The effect of hormones on (32)P incorporation into various RNA fractions in germinating pear embryos was studied by fractionation on methylated albumin-kieselguhr columns. Abscisic acid inhibited labelling of soluble RNA, DNA-RNA hybrid and light-ribosomal RNA fractions with (32)P and this effect was reversed by both kinetin and gibberellic acid. 2. Kinetin reversed the inhibition by abscisic acid of (32)P incorporation into total ribosomal RNA and appeared to promote labelling of heavy-ribosomal RNA. Gibberellic acid was more active than kinetin in reversing the inhibition by abscisic acid of labelling of the DNA-RNA hybrid fraction with (32)P, but in contrast with kinetin appeared to increase further the inhibition by abscisic acid of labelling of total ribosomal RNA. 3. The percentage of radioactivity in various RNA fractions showed marked variation in response to hormones. 4. The pattern of labelling of RNA in pear embryos during reversal of inhibition by abscisic acid with a combination of kinetin and gibberellic acid was similar to that after cold-treatment of dormant pear embryos. This is suggestive of hormonal interplay in dormancy release by cold-treatment in pear embryos.