This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gusta, L. V. Articles by Weiser, C. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gusta, L. V. Articles by Weiser, C. J. Agricola Articles by Gusta, L. V. Articles by Weiser, C. J.

Articles

Nucleic Acid and Protein Changes in Relation to Cold Acclimation and Freezing Injury of Korean Boxwood Leaves ^1,2

^a Laboratory of Plant Hardiness, Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101

Quantitative and qualitative differences in nucleic acids of Korean boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. Koreana) leaves were determined by methylated albumin kieselguhr chromatography at different levels of cold hardiness. During cold acclimation there was an increase in RNA, mainly ribosomal RNA, with little or no change in DNA. The increase in ribosomal RNA was closely paralleled by an increase in water soluble and membrane bound proteins. As cold hardiness increased, ribonuclease activity declined.

Exposure of hardy boxwood plants to warm temperatures resulted in a rapid loss in cold resistance and a rapid synthesis of nucleic acids as judged by ³²P incorporation.

Following a killing frost to Korean boxwood leaves, there was a rapid decrease in all nucleic acid fractions which was attributed to nuclease activity. Within 5 hours there was no measurable soluble RNA and ribosomal RNA. Tenaciously bound RNA was somewhat more persistent.

¹ This research was supported in part by a grant from the Louis W. and Maud Hill Family Foundation.

² Scientific Journal Series Paper 7263 of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.