THE CORRELATION OF DESOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID SYNTHESIS AND THE RATE OF RESPIRATION IN THE SEA URCHIN EMBRYO

Abstract

1. Following an abrupt rise in rate of respiration of the egg of the sea urchin at the time of activation there is a period of continued increase extending into the pluteus larval stage. This is not explainable by means of the increase in cell number, cleavage rate, or nuclear volume. 2. In the developing embryo of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson) the increase in the rate of oxygen consumption has been found to have a very high positive correlation with the amount of desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) phosphorus present in the embryo. The correlation coefficient was found to be much higher than necessary to be significantly different from zero at the 1% level. The regression coefficient for the linear regression of the rate of respiration on the amount of DNA phosphorus for the best studied case was found to be 2.75 microliters of oxygen per microgram of DNA phosphorus per hour. 3. The same correlation probably does not exist in the unfertilized egg. 4. If the relation is a direct one, the most reasonable interpretation of the correlation found is that the synthesis or activation of respiratory enzymes is under nucleic acid control.