July 16, 1975

Dr. Seymour Lederberg

Division of Biological and Mediehl Sciences
Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island 02912

Dear Seymour,

I wonder if you recall that about 20 years ago I had the idea that
one ought to study the genetics of centrioles byt looking for shaver's
"second factor” from a variety of cellular sources and looking to see what
happened with interspecific combinations? That idea was based on the premise
that the centriole was self-replicating DNA which I guess may now go by the
board.

I particularly wanted to call your attention to the enclosed article
by Ohta and Iwamatsu which seems quite definitely to identify the second
factor with microtubules. And meanwhile there has been no substantiation
of tae role of DNA in centrioles!

It still seems to me that there is a remarkable research opportunity -
namely to look for the efficacy of microtubules from prokaryotic sources
as initiators of egg development. And I can certainly think of much worse
ways to spend a summer!

When are we ever going to see you all? Annie was just beginning to
take her firet steps, unaided, last week.

Yours as ever,

JL/er

Cuck ‘