THE ELIMINATION OF DNA FROM SOMA CELLS

Abstract

Theories and evidence are presented to explain the purpose of the elimination of DNA from soma cells during early embryonic development in a variety of species. The evidence, as viewed from the situation in the fruit fly, gall-fly, dog-rose, etc., leads to the conclusion that the excess DNA carried in germ cells of certain flies and in at least one genus of plants, plays an essential role in building up both DNA and RNA required for the development of embryos. The elimination of the excess DNA frees the soma cells from the task of synthesizing the nucleotides which are not required for somatic development, and conserves the supply of nucleic acid precursors previously stored in the cytoplasm of the female gametes.