Incorporation of thymidine into onion root meristematic cell nuclei in presence of hydroxyurea and its role in recovery of mitotic activity

Abstract

Hydroxyurea treatment of onion roots induced mitotic block which was released by transfer of bulbs to water, and also to some extent by addition of cold or 3H-thymidine to hydroxyurea solutions. In presence of hydroxyurea there was noted very intense incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cell nuclei, giving labelling index of 40-70%. However, all the mitotic figures appearing in presence of hydroxyurea and 3H-thymidine were unlabelled. On the other hand, labelled mitotic figures were obtained when roots incubated with 3H-thymidine in presence of hydroxyurea had been transferred to water. Incorporation of 3H-uridine was unaffected by hydroxyurea. The results show that hydroxyurea arrests onion root meristematic cells, either in the S phase and the G2 phase. Enhanced incorporation of 3H-thymidine in the presence of hydroxyurea, and release by added thymidine of the mitotic block indicate that hydroxyurea induces in onion root meristematic cells a particular shortage of thymidylate.