Daniel Nathans- Geneticist and Microbiologist Wins Nobel Prize Marc A. Shampo, Ph.D., and Robert A. Kyle, M.D. The 1978 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was shared by three scientists: Hamilton O. Smith (1931- ) and Daniel Nathans (1928- ) of the United States and Werner Arber (1929- ) of Switzerland. They received the prize for their contribution "to the development of restriction endonucleases, enzymes that can be used to study genetic organization and to manipulate DNA for genetic engineering." Specifically, Arber discovered the DNA modification and restriction enzymes used by bacteria to defend themselves against viruses, and he proposed that restriction endonucleases could recognize and cut apart a specific sequence of bases characteristic of a particular bacterial strain. Nathans applied restriction enzymes, which can cut the DNA helix at specific sites, to the study of genetics. In studying the monkey virus SV40, Nathans constructed the first genetic map and investigated DNA replication and gene organization. Smith was the first scientist to purify and characterize a "specific" bacterial restriction endonuclease (an enzyme capable of recognizing and cleaving specific sites of DNA). This work subsequently allowed genetic material to be studied and manipulated. The investigations of restriction enzymes by Smith, Arber, and Nathans made it possible to analyze the organization of genetic material in chemical detail. Daniel Nathans, the youngest of nine children, was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on Oct. 30, 1928. His father was an immigrant, whose American business failed during the economic depression of 1929. Nathans received his early education in the public schools of Wilmington. In 1946, he enrolled in the University of Delaware (Newark), where he studied mathematics, chemistry, philosophy, and literature. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry in 1950. Subsequently, he was awarded a scholarship to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received the M.D. degree in 1954. From 1954 to 1955, Nathans was an intern atthe Columbia- Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. From 1955 to 1957, he was a clinical associate at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. At that institute, he conducted research on protein biosynthesis-specifically, malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma. He returned to Columbia-Presbyterian Medi- cal Center to participate in a residency program from 1957 to 1959. After his residency training, Nathans went to the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (now Rockefeller University) as an investigator and continued his work on protein biosynthesis from 1959 to 1962. In 1962, he became assistant professor of microbiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medi- cine in Baltimore, Maryland, and head of the genetics division. He became an associate professor in 1965 and a full professor in 1967. In 1969, Nathans took a leave from Johns Hopkins to become an American Cancer Society Fellow and to study at the Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Rehovot, Israel. He returned to Johns Hopkins and, in 1972, became director of the Department of Microbiology at the university. Since 1980, Nathans has been Boury Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Johns Hopkins University and a senior investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Besides the Nobel Prize, Nathans has received many honors and awards, including honorary degrees of science from the University of Delaware, Washington University, Rockefeller University, and Yale University. Nathans was honored on a stamp issued by Sweden in 1989. Mayo Clin Proc 1'J'Jb; Il:JbU 360 © 1996 Mayo Foundation/or Medical Education and Research For personal use. Mass reproduce only with permission from Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Daniel Nathans–Geneticist and Microbiologist Wins Nobel Prize

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Daniel NathansGeneticist and Microbiologist

Wins Nobel Prize

Marc A. Shampo, Ph.D.,and Robert A. Kyle, M.D.

The 1978 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was sharedby three scientists: Hamilton O. Smith (1931- ) and DanielNathans (1928- ) of the United States and Werner Arber(1929- ) of Switzerland. They received the prize for theircontribution "to the development of restriction endonucleases,enzymes that can be used to study genetic organization and tomanipulate DNA for genetic engineering." Specifically,Arber discovered the DNA modification and restriction enzymes used by bacteria to defend themselves against viruses,and he proposed that restriction endonucleases could recognize and cut apart a specific sequence of bases characteristicof a particular bacterial strain. Nathans applied restrictionenzymes, which can cut the DNA helix at specific sites, to thestudy of genetics. In studying the monkey virus SV40,Nathans constructed the first genetic map and investigatedDNA replication and gene organization. Smith was the firstscientist to purify and characterize a "specific" bacterialrestriction endonuclease (an enzyme capable of recognizingand cleaving specific sites of DNA). This work subsequentlyallowed genetic material to be studied and manipulated. Theinvestigations of restriction enzymes by Smith, Arber, andNathans made it possible to analyze the organization ofgenetic material in chemical detail.

Daniel Nathans, the youngest of nine children, was born inWilmington, Delaware, on Oct. 30, 1928. His father was animmigrant, whose American business failed during the economic depression of 1929. Nathans received his early educa-

tion in the public schools of Wilmington. In 1946, he enrolledin the University of Delaware (Newark), where he studiedmathematics, chemistry, philosophy, and literature. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry in 1950. Subsequently, hewas awarded a scholarship to Washington University Schoolof Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received theM.D. degree in 1954.

From 1954 to 1955, Nathans was an intern atthe ColumbiaPresbyterian Medical Center in New York City. From 1955to 1957, he was a clinical associate at the National CancerInstitute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda,Maryland. At that institute, he conducted research on proteinbiosynthesis-specifically, malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma. He returned to Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center to participate in a residency program from 1957 to1959.

After his residency training, Nathans went to the RockefellerInstitute for Medical Research (now Rockefeller University)as an investigator and continued his work on protein biosynthesis from 1959 to 1962. In 1962, he became assistantprofessor of microbiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and head of the genetics division. He became an associate professor in 1965 and a fullprofessor in 1967.

In 1969, Nathans took a leave from Johns Hopkins tobecome an American Cancer Society Fellow and to study atthe Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Rehovot, Israel. Hereturned to Johns Hopkins and, in 1972, became director of theDepartment of Microbiology at the university. Since 1980,Nathans has been Boury Professor of Molecular Biology andGenetics at Johns Hopkins University and a senior investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase,Maryland.

Besides the Nobel Prize, Nathans has received manyhonors and awards, including honorary degrees of sciencefrom the University of Delaware, Washington University,Rockefeller University, and Yale University.

Nathans was honored on a stamp issued by Sweden in1989.

For personal use. Mass reproduce only with permission from Mayo Clinic Proceedings.