Dr. E. H. Fulling, Editor
Botanical Review,
New York Botanical Garden,
New York 58, N.Y.

Dear Dr. Fulling:

Thank you for your consideration in inviting me to contribute a review
article to Botanical Review, in the general field of the genetics of lower
plants.

I would be strongly tempted to accept your invitation, amcept that I am
convinced that a review in this field, or in any other in which I would be
competent to make a contribution, is not so greatly needed at the present
time, in view of the review articles that I, and several other workers,
have phblished recently, or are about to publish. In support of this con-
clusion, may I cite the following titles, since the 1946 Cold Spring Harbor
Symposium: .

Luria, S.2. (1947) Recent advances in bacterial genetics, Bact. Rev. 11: 1-40.
Beadle, G.%. (1945--older than the atated deadline, but very comprehensive)
Biochemical genetics. Chem. Rev. 37E15- 96.
Lederberg,J. (1948) Problems in microbial genetics, Heredity, 2:145~198.
" (1949) Bacterial Variation, Ann. Rev. Hicrobiology 3:1-22.
Tatum, E.L. (1950 in press) Bacterial Variation, Ann. Rev. Mier. 4.
Beadle, GW. (1948) Physiological Genaatios, Ann. Rev. Physiol. 10:17-42.
Horowitz, N. (1950 4n press) Biochemical Genetics of Neurospora,
Adzances in Genetics, 3:.
Lindegren,CC. (1949). The Yeast Cell, Its Genetics and Cytology.
" (1948). Genetics of the Fungi, Ann. Rev. Micr. 2,
Splegelman,S. (1948). Differentiation as the controlled production
of unique enzymatic patterns. Symp. Soc. Exptl. Biol. 2:286-325.
Symposium on Biochemical Genetics. The Biochemical Society (Gt. Britain).

This is only a partial list, and I am sure that I have missed some that
I have heard about, In addition, a symposium or two is in the wind, so that
in all, I have the feeling that the subject is covered at least quite well,
if not already ad nauseam. As far as I know, any of my colleagues who would
be in a position to contribute a review in this field shares my opinion.
If only in order to close on a constructive note, may I suggest
an alternative topic for a review article, in a field where it is
badly needed: the intimate effects of radiations on microorganiams.
Radio-microbiology has received a tesmendous impetus by recent experi-
mental developments, and there is considerable need for a reevaluation
in a critical review, I can think of no one better qualified to undertake
such a critique, and who may be persuaded to do so, than Dr, James .
Watson, now at the Department of Bacteriology, Indiana University,
Bloomington. As it happens, I have tried to convince Dr. Watson that
he should write such anaarticle, and have strong hopes that a formal
invitation from so reputable a journal as the Botanical Review will
incite him to do so. |

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg,
Assistant Professor of Genetics