144

_LONG ISLAND BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

INCORPORATED 1924

ANNUAL REPORT

OF

_ THE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

FOUNDED 1890

FIFTY-SEVENTH YEAR

"1946
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR

During this second postwar year our Laboratory, in common with
other similar institutions, has been passing through a readjustment period,
The research initiated during the war and carried on under contract with
the Medical Division of the Chemical Warfare Service was completed ‘in
September. This concluded for us a period during which we had aac
out into investigations remotely related to our field of interest, ag
successfully mastered new techniques, had developed new methods for
the use of antibiotics, and had made significant contributions for the
treatment of certain infections. The experience we acquired during this
period has proved a valuable asset in working out plans for our present
research program.

In October we inaugurated a research program designed to investigate
the potentialities of various groups of microorganisms for production 7
antibiotics. The strikingly successful application of penicillin an Strep
tomycin in medicine has given an added importance to research in the
relatively new field of antibiotics, and intensive work is now going on
in a large number of laboratories to find new substances possessing anti
biotic potency and to learn more about their biological o 7 emicay
properties. We are interested in the fundamental aspect of t . io ogica
problem; that is, we wish to obtain some understanding of w at vari nus
microorganisms can do and of how widespread their capacity is for roe
ducing substances that act as antibiotics. Since our appre: is a genetic
one, we have ample experience for this research and a ora ory whe
equipped for the work. The problem is planned on a broa tine
presence of antibiotic capacity is determined by the induction o mu a one
For this purpose, well-known mutagenic agents X-rays and wr
rays—are being put to use, and a search is also being made poner
that may induce mutations. This résearch is being supporte ern es :
made by Schenley Laboratories, Inc., of which Dr. E. C. im ms
the director. Drs. Vernon Bryson and Albert Kelner are in charg
the work.

Research

i i s engaged in

During the greater portion of 1946 the Laboratory was engage ad
finishing up projects under its contracts with the dica ee
the Technical Division of the Chemical Warfare Service. This re te
was under the supervision of Dr. V. Bryson. The erpeximers es
mainly with studies of the penetration of inhaled aerosols into t ane
and of the therapeutic value of penicillin aerosol alone an io co the
tion with certain other chemicals. A study was a a ®
synergistic action against bacteria exerted by mixtures © Penict 3D em
several other chemicals. For the Technical Division, an ana vais was ae
pleted of hydrogen peroxide aerosol as a disinfecting agent me On ober,
taminated with pathogenic and dust-borne microorganisms. In Cee
studies were begun on the chemical induction of mutations in
using nitrogen mustards.

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As a preliminary to the study of antibiotics, Dr. A. Kelner investigat-
ed the effects produced by X-rays and ultraviolet rays on the microorgan-
ism Actinomyces. He found that the spores are relatively resistant to
killing, and that heritable changes are readily induced by irradiation.

In recent years, microorganisms—viruses, bacteriophages, bacteria,
protozoa, and fungi—have been receiving considerable attention among
experimental biologists. Techniques have been developed for utilizing
them in research on a variety of biological problems: and work with
these organisms is becoming very productive in opening up new approaches
to some of the outstanding questions of modern biology. At this year’s
symposium we brought together a group of scientists who are studying
the processes of variation and heredity among living things through
experiments with various microorganisms. This symposium was a logical
consequence of the interest in this field that has existed in our group fora
number of years. Since the summer of 1941, work with microorganisms
has been conducted at the Laboratory; and at present a considerable

proportion of our year-round research is focused on these experimental
Materials.

This summer we again had a strong group working with bacterio-
phages. Dr. Max Delbruck and his assistant Mr. W. T. Bailey, Jr., of
Vanderbilt University, investigated phenomena that have the appearance
of mutation and hybridization in this group of organisms, which are too
minute to be seen with the ordinary light microscope but can be observed
with the electron microscope. They found an apparent transfer of
hereditary material from one bacteriophage to another when a bacterium
's simultaneously infected with two different but related strains of phage.

Dr. A. H. Doermann, an associate of Dr. Delbruck, investigated the
multiplication of bacteriophages. One question to which he was seeking
the answer was whether each phage continues to divide—thus increasing

the total number exponentially—or whether division is limited to certain
individuals only.

Requirements for the growth of phages were investigated by Dr.
-H. Adams, of New York University, who found that the growth of
One strain of phage (T5) depends on the presence of calcium in the
medium. Studies were made by Dr. S. S. Cohen and Miss C. B. Fowler,
OF the University of Pennsylvania, on the interruption of the growth
Processes caused by addition of S-methyl tryptophane.

Al
being s
a very
stil] un
18 wel

though in recent years many problems relating to heredity are
tudied on microorganisms, still the fruitfly (Drosophila) remains
important organism in genetic research. This classical material is
equalled for work on many outstanding problems. Our Laboratory
| equipped for research with Drosophila, and every summer since
we have had several scientists working with this material. Last
Summer Dr. E. Mayr, of the American Museum of Natural. History,
Studied forces instrumental in the evolution of species by investigating

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sexual isolation as conditioned by age differences, strain differences:;an
species differences. Studies of sexual isolation were carried on also bees
Streisinger, of Cornell University, who experimented with two species®
Drosophila and observed that sexual isolation may be reduced by selection:
Dr. B. Glass, of Goucher College, made a survey of Drosophila ‘stocks:
for the presence of a suppressor of a certain gene.

Biochemical studies were carried on by Dr. E. Racker, of New York
University, with enzymes; by Dr. M. Levy, also of New York Universityg
on protein denaturation; and by Dr. L. Michaelis, of the Rockefelleg’
Institute, with dyes.

Dr. H. A. Abramson investigated the effect of alternating currents
on the transfer of drugs through the skin, as well as the passage :of
substances through the lungs when applied as aerosols.

Drs. I. J. Deyrup and R. Guttman, of Columbia University: and
Brooklyn College, studied the effect of electric current on the nerves‘of
the horseshoe crab and the spider crab.

Dr. M. A. Rudzinska, of New York University, collected protozoa
(Lacrymaria) in the Cold Spring Harbor lakes, and worked out a method
for culturing them.

Several scientists utilized the time spent at the Laboratory -for
writing. Dr. M. D. Kamen, of Washington University, prepared’ the
manuscript for a book on radioactive tracer isotopes in biology; Dr.:B:
Glass worked on a book on evolution; and Drs. M. A. Rudzinska and
5. Spiegelman wrote scientific papers.

Brief statements written by these investigators about their research
at the Laboratory are presented in the section of this report entitled
“Reports of Investigators.”

Symposium

After an interval of three years imposed on us by the war emergencys
we were again able to continue with the yearly Symposia on Quantitativ€
Biology. The topic for this year’s meeting—Heredity and Variation m
Microorganisms—was selected two years ago, when it was thought that
a symposium could be held in the summer of 1945; the meeting had ‘to
be postponed, however, because of travel restrictions. During the last
two years, research on problems connected with the genetics and physi
ology of microorganisms has made very remarkable progress in the labora:
tories of the United States. Moreover, when contact with continent
Europe was reestablished we found that during the war many new dis:
coveries in the same field had been made in France. For these reasons
the continued delay of one year was fortunate, because it gave us 4%
opportunity to broaden considerably the scope of our program. ..

This was the eleventh in the series of Cold Spring Harbor Sympos#
on Quantitative Biology, which have become widely known throughout
the scientific world since they were started in 1933. The first meeting,

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after the war was of special importance in bringing together workers
who have had little opportunity during the last four. years to hold un-
limited discussion of their research, and who have until recently been
completely cut off from the progress of research in other countries. The
group considered the mechanisms that operate in the transmission of
heredity in the smallest known living organisms—namely, bacteriophages,
bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. Since it is a well-established fact that the
fundamental laws of nature apply in general to all forms of life it is
sometimes easier to solve a biological problem by using simple organisms
and, if necessary, testing the validity of the solution later on more ad-
vanced organisms. The discussion included also the behavior of tumor
cells and leukemia cells, which in many respects exhibit the same individ-
uality as unicellular organisms.

Some distinguished foreign scientists who took part in the program
were: Dr. N. W. Pirie, Harpenden, England; Dr. M. J. D. White
University College, London: Dr. G. Pontecorvo, Glasgow University,
Scotland; Dr. Andre Lwoff, Pasteur Institute, Paris; “Drs. Raymond
Latarjet and Jaques Monod, of the same institute; Dr. Boris Ephrussi
University of Paris; Dr. F. Kauffman, State Serum Institute Denmark:
and Dr. T. Johnson, Winnipeg, Canada.

_ Some of the European scientists on the program were brought to
this country by the Biological Laboratory especially for the purpose of
taking part in the Symposium. Although this year it was possible for
only a limited number of foreigners to be present at the meeting, it was
“ that this represented a good beginning in the extremely important
Fildes cottblishing contact and cooperation among researchers in similar
Funds ¢ °. a been cut off from communication by six years of war.
vided i the traveling expenses of invited European participants were pro-

“@ trom a special grant made by the Rockefeller Foundation.

ies can fcientists came from all parts of the country, including the
onneeces a ama, California, Ulinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri,
tom he i ) a and Wisconsin. There was also a large attendance
tories at Nee universities, research institutes, and commercial labora-
accommodvan Hore City and vicinity. Lecture-room | space and living
to accent — imited the number of participants, and it was not possible
Sientic. . i registrations of all who wished to attend. Of the foreign
theo wen aking part, four each were from Canada, England, and France,
were from Chile, and one each from Denmark and Sweden.

Course on Bacteriophages

toast primary purpose of this course, introduced in the summer of
» 18 to familiarize scientists with new methods that have been de-

Velo : ‘ ;
“oped recently and to stimulate interest in research with bacterial

Virus. : . : :
majoris The course this year had a capacity registration of twelve. A
om ~ of the registrants were established research workers, eight of

aving doctors’ degrees.

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