July 9, 1965
Dear Bob:
May I take you up on your offer to let us try a genuine preparation of circular OX DNA for its capacity to prime DNA polymerase.  As you know, we find that M13 DNA does prime and all indications are that a covalent linkage is formed with the M13 DNA.  The separation of the new strand from the primer in alkaline sedimentation runs speaks for some alkali label linker somewhere.  We are very much in the dark about what that might be.  It would be worth knowing what the behavior of OX DNA will be as a primer-template.  I wonder whether you could spare some isotopically tagged material so that we can follow the fate of the OX DNA should it prove to be a primer.  100 mumoles should be ample to get us started.  We could appeal for more if the results were of sufficient interest to warrant additional experiments.
I was very impressed and pleased by the incisive report of the imaginative proposals of the Stadtman-Sinsheimer-Wood Committee.  I have sent it along to the Council hoping that there will be support for implementing the suggestions of your Committee for the 1966 meetings.  I will let you know what the response is.
With warmest regards,
Sincerely yours,
Arthur Kornberg