Abstract
THE effect of some chemicals on cells may be considered to be similar to that induced by ionizing radiation1,2. It seems that in such cases the specific effect of the drug is confined to the nucleus in a certain developmental stage of mitosis or meiosis, and it is characterized by the alterations induced in the structure of chromosomes, which are assumed to be conditioned by changes in the nucleic acid metabolism3. The chemicals acting in this manner are also known to induce gene-mutation, hence they are named ‘nuclear mutafacients' or ‘gene and chromosome breakers'. Sulphur and nitrogen mustards, phenol and ethyl-urethane belong to this group. We can now add bromine4 as a chromosome breaker or perhaps another chemical mutafacient.
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References
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CHURÝ, J., SLOUKA, V. Effects of Bromine on Mitosis in Root-tips of Allium cepa. Nature 163, 27–28 (1949). https://doi.org/10.1038/163027a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/163027a0
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