DNA and RNA content of Chironomus thummi polytene chromosomes determined by micro column gel filtration.

A new microtechnique was used to determine the nucleic acid content of Chironomus polytene chromosomes. The method based on UV-microspectrophotometric measurement of alkali digested chromosome samples before and after gel filtration through Sephadex microcolumns permits the simultaneous estimation of DNA as well as RNA amount of single chromosomes and nucleoli. The DNA and RNA content of C.