THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
FACULTY OF MEDICINE

DEPARTMENT OF BACTERIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
THE HAMILTON KING MEEK MEMORIAL LABORATORY

3'75 SOUTH STREET,
LONDON, GANADA

 

November 9, 1952

Dr. Joshua Leuerbersg,
Department of Genetics,
College of Agriculture,
University of Wisconsin,
MaJLSON 6, Wis., U.S.A.

Dear Lederbers:

I nope that tne enclosed reprint wiil be useful to
you but I rear tost it will not vrovide the technical details
that you would like to nave. Tnerefore, I em aise enclosing
& dreft of the more complete paper that is in process of
preperation. The illustretions are not assembled yet and I
regret that I cannot send tne along. You can get an idea of
waat is meant by reference to the diagram in tne reprint.

Or course, all the statements refer enly to B. eereus
and cannot reaily be transferred to otner celis. We oave trica
to do similar work on some enterics (Escaericnias ana Shigsiles)
ana there are some similar problems. The corresyonauence of
enése and aydrolyued~Giemsa sreyarations is mucn closer in the
Gram negative (as shown by Stempen) but I sn Tairly certain tast
the cnromatin is embedded in an acnrometie metrix ana taat our
ordinary preparations only give us a pert of tne story. Care
must be taken in interpretation and we preter to 0 much more
Slowly than our nasty colleagues.

Robin ana I are engaged in some comparative eytology (with
Fungi, biue-greens, and some protozox) in order taat we may
have @ better uncerstanding of tne possible alternatives in
interpretation as weli as the difficulties of cbservation. He
wiil appreciate your greetings when he returms from 4 jaunt to
the wilds of New Yors ana New Jersey

There is much to be learnt about tne structure of taese damn
nuclei before we can make a reasonable (and educated) suess as to
the gross mechanics of division. as 4 gersonai feeling, I do not
believe thet anyone can or should be ubie to write (or talk) abcut

*

"The cytological basis of bacterial genetics" as some of our
Dr. Josnua Lederberg - pege z

esteemed colleagues nave done. The broblem is not only one of
artefacts but also one of unscientific approken una iac« of
critical appréisai of aitertiatives.

Ii we can be of any nelp, iet us know. We ere very acutely
interestea in finding tne fruitfui approacnes to tae probleus.
Let ie «now if you want more auetaiiea intormation.

Jim waitfieia ana I nave haa & pleasant enu profitable yeer
trying to stuay the cytological changes during tne lysogenization
of Shiga wita tne Pl ana PZ phages. We have some gooa inrurmation
and it seems to snow taut tnere ere some cuite speciai reorgan-
izations in tne caromatin of the cell, but aara to interpret.

Rowe was quite un experience. Scientificaily, it was nut too
informative but tne cytoicgy symposium served its purpose us 4

sort of psycnoanalytivel catharthis!

Wita best regards to you and your wife.

Yours sincereiy,

gee)
oo .
a
RGEM: mj R. G. E. surrey, M.D.

Eneiosures Professor