INDUCTION OF CHROMOSOME FRAGMENTATION BY PHENOLS

Abstract

INCE our recent discovery (LEVAN and TJIO, 1948) that phenols S have a fragmenting effect on Allium Cepa chromosomes we have tested some forty phenols, phenol derivatives and related compounds on their fragmenting activity. Although the majority of them exhibited some activity, most of them were found to be but very little active. In many cases only a systematic search through many slides gave a positive result, This may be one reason for the non-detection of this reaction earlier in spite of its wide distribution within this type of substances. Another reason is that the reaction may be well-defined and distinct only in favourable cytological materials. Thus, PARMENTIER and