Induction of cytokinin-independent tobacco tissues by substituted fluorenes.

Two morphactins and three aminofluorenes initiated the formation of compact tissue nodules in hormone-dependent tobacco callus cultures. These nodules, upon subculture, behaved like partially transformed plant tumors. They grew on cytokinin-free media, while control callus and nonnodule tissue still required an exogenous cytokinin source. The data indicate that substituted fluorenes, including carcinogenic aminofluorenes, can cause a neoplastic growth response in cultured tobacco tissues. Of particular interest in this study is the finding that a directed and heritable cellular change is induced in tobacco tissue in which a specific (the endogenous cytokinin) biosynthetic system is regularly and persistently activated.