The Heterocatalytic Function of DNA Transcription and Translation

If DNA really is the genetic material, then it must, at some point, initiate its own reduplication. Only on the basis of its identical reduplication is it possible to understand how the genetic material can be transmitted unchanged from cell to cell and from organism to organism. In this connection one speaks of an autocatalytic function of DNA. We shall deal with this topic later when we discuss cell division. 

For our present purpose it is more important to discuss another necessary property of DNA. If DNA is the genetic material, then it must play a regulatory role in the formation of characters. One speaks in this instance of the heterocatalytic function of DNA. Since, however, visible characters have their origin, ultimately, in specific chemical interconversions, we may expect DNA to control chemical reactions. Now it is well known that chemical interconversions in living organisms are catalyzed by enzymes. Here, then, is one of the key functions of DNA DNA can initiate the formation of enzymes. We shall see later that the induction of enzymes is not the only way in which the genetic material is engaged in the formation of characters. However, since we shall be primarily concerned with the metabolism of plants in the next few chapters, we should now consider the question of the relationship between DNA and enzyme synthesis. 

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