Effect of IAA on growth, organogenesis and RNA metabolism during the development of Cichorium intybus root explants cultured „in vitro"

The effects of 3-indolylacetic acid (IAA) on growth, organogenesis, RNA content, RNase activity and MAK elution profiles during the development of chicory root explants cultured in vitro were investigated. It was found that the intensive callus growth in the presence of IAA was accompanied by an increase in the RNA content, with simultaneous decrease of RNase activity. Fractionation of RNA by MAK column chromatography showed that the high content of RNA in the callus under the influence of IAA was due to an increased accumulation of the ribosomal fraction of RNA mainly. Experiments with actinomycin D demonstrated that this antibiotic abolished both the auxin-induced callus growth and the inhibitory effect of IAA on bud formation. No significant inhibition of spontaneous bud formation under the influence of actinomycin D was observed. The possible relationship between the IAA-affected morphogenetic processes and RNA metabolism is discussed