Transmission of the nucleic acid-induced character, caudal fin, to the offspring in goldfish.

The carp's egg-mRNA and DNA induced, single-tail-finned goldfish were used for mating. The offspring developed double, single and modified single tail fin. The combined frequency of the single and modified single tail fin formation in the mRNA-and DNA-injected series were 39.6% and 38.3% respectively. The corresponding frequency of the control series was 3.8%. These results show that the exogenous mRNA and DNA have altered the tail fin formation not only in the goldfish developed from the injected eggs but also in their offspring.