A GENETXCO-PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE FORMATION ETC. 75 



Thus we see that the pigment yielding mechjiuisiu in the seed coat of 

 different species of jjlant fcilLs in general under a similar category, imrticnlarly 

 in the sewl coat of tlie legumes. 



4. Discussion. 



To a gene we imply a specific protopLismic eutiti,- ^\•hich sets up tlio 

 biochemical apparatus in the sporophytic cells and to the end product of the 

 reaction psrformed b}- the mechanism so set up, we refer a chaiucter, morpho- 

 logical and physiological. Therefore, even we infer a gene to a character, that 

 gene itself may liavc no direct relation to the character. A catalyst does 

 not appear in the final prfxluct of a chemical reaction, but may alter the 

 ralocitj- of the i-eaction and sometimes change the position of e^uihbrium to 

 bj attained. 



When such agencies or genes are f)aired forming an aUelomorj)h, and 

 they sogi-egate in a normal way, we can deduce the relation between the 

 character and the gene by the numerical ratio of character that is required 

 by the supposed genetic entities. We disregard the Inochemical processes 

 involved in the changes which are set up by the gene to bring about the 

 equihbrim, of which state we perceive the character. Dynamicsüly viewed, 

 however, the possibihty is not excluded even in such a case in which a 

 single allelomoi-phic character-diflfereuce is due to more than a factor-difference. 

 Supposing the cliange A-*0 in which the substance A undergoes certain 

 ch.inges to form the substance which may be regarde 1 as a single character 

 in the Mendelian sense, such as a purpb pigment in a certain organ in the 

 plant. A-vO reaction would appear to be a single change when the initial 

 and the end product alone is considered, l)ut it may involve the catenary 

 changes A~>B-^C^B-^0. Such complex changes are Ukely to occur in 

 most of the biochemical processes like respiration and photosynthesis which 

 seem comparatively simple when the initial substance and the final product 

 alone are considered. 



If we consider an imaginary in3l:ance in which A -^B, B -» C, C-*D, and 

 D - reactions are involved in a whole change A^O, and these separate 

 changes are governed by the respective genetic entities, yet they ai'e not 



