I. Transfer of DNA from parent to progeny cell. II. A study of the possible role of DNA in viral RNA synthesis during the multiplication of an animal virus

[摘要] This work considered two approaches to the general problem of information transfer between molecules.The first approach dealt with one aspect of the mechanism of deoxyribosenucleic acid (DNA) reproduction.In 1953 Watson and Crick proposed a structure of DNA which more recent work has essentially confirmed.The key postulate of the Watson-Crick structure is that DNA consists of two complementary chains of which either one may serve as a template for the formation of the other.This structure suggested three general models for DNA reproduction.In this work a test was devised to distinguish among these models by labeling cellular DNA with the thymine analog 5-bromouracil for one and/or two cell divisions.The results indicate that the semi-conservative model for the DNA replication originally proposed by Watson and Crick is valid for mammalian DNA.The second approach considers the problem of whether in RNA-containing animal viruses the RNA is able to reproduce itself without interaction with cellular DNA.Various methods were used which either prevented the synthesis of DNA or led to the synthesis of abnormal DNA during the growth of the RNA-containing virus.These experiments led to the conclusion that viral RNA is able to multiply without interaction with newly synthesized DNA and probably without interacting with pre-existing cellular DNA.

[发布机构] University:California Institute of Technology;Department:Biology

[关键词] Biology