Incorporation of Cytokinin N6-Benzyladenine into Tobacco Callus Transfer Ribonucleic Acid and Ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid Preparations

The incorporation of the cytokinin N(6)-benzyladenine into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) callus tRNA and rRNA preparations isolated from tissue grown on medium containing either N(6)-benzyladenine-8-(14)C or N(6)-benzyladenine-8-(14)C: benzene-(3)H(G) has been examined. N(6)-benzyladenine was incorporated into both the tRNA and rRNA preparations as the intact base. Over 90% of the radioactive N(6)-benzyladenosine recovered from the RNA preparations was associated with the rRNA. Purification of the crude rRNA by either MAK chromatography or Sephadex G-200 gel filtration had no effect on the N(6)-benzyladenosine content of the RNA preparation. The distribution of N(6)-benzyladenosine moieties in tobacco callus tRNA fractionated by BD-cellulose chromatography did not correspond to the distribution of ribosylzeatin activity. N(6)-benzyladenosine was released from the rRNA preparation by treatment with venom phosphodiesterase and phosphatase, ribonuclease T(2) and phosphatase, or ribonuclease T(2) and a 3'-nucleotidase. N(6)-benzyladenosine was not released from the RNA preparation by treatment with either ribonuclease T(2) or phosphatase alone or by successive treatment with ribonuclease T(2) and a 5'-nucleotidase. Brief treatment of the rRNA preparation with ribonuclease T(1) and pancreatic ribonuclease converted the N(6)-benzyladenosine moieties into an ethyl alcohol soluble form. On the basis of these and earlier results, the N(6)-benzyladenosine recovered from the tobacco callus RNA preparations appears to be present as a constituent of RNA and not as a nonpolynucleotide contaminant.