Jean Weigle
Encyclopedia
Jean-Jacques Weigle was a Swiss
molecular biologist
at the CalTech
and a former physicist
at the University of Geneva
from 1931 to 1948. He is known for his major contributions on field of the bacteriophage λ
research, focused on the interactions between those viruses and their E. coli
hosts.
, Switzerland, where he obtained his PhD in physics in 1923, from the University of Geneva.
He married Ruth Juliette Falk, a widow.
He died in Pasadena, California
, after suffering another heart attack in 1968.
to the study of crystal
structure; the effects of temperature on this diffraction; the diffraction of light by ultrasonics
.
He was working as professor of Physics at the University of Pittsburgh
in the 1920s.
At the University of Geneva he became director of the Institute of Physics since 1931, he developed the first electron microscope
made in Switzerland, important factor for the studies of molecular biology leading to creation in 1964 of the Institute of Molecular Biology (MOLBIO) by Edouard Kellenberger and others.
After suffering his first heart attack in 1946 he emigrated to the USA in 1948, resigned from the faculty of the University of Geneva and went to CalTech in California.
Then he turned to biology and worked in "phage" group of Max Delbrück
, Seymour Benzer
, Elie Wollman, and Gunther Stent
. He helped in their researches the Nobel
laureate
Werner Arber
, George Streisinger
, and Giuseppe Bertani also known as "Joe" or "Gio".
He is most noted for his demonstration with Matthew Meselson
, of Caltech and Grete Kellenberger of Geneva that genetic recombination
involves actual breakage and reunion of DNA
molecules. He created the classic induction of a lysogen
involved irradiating the infected cells with ultraviolet
light. He demonstrated through his classical experiments the inducible nature of the DNA repair
system.
Weigle mutagenesis that means inducible mutagenesis and Weigle reactivation that means inducible repair after DNA damage are named in his honor.
"The interest of physical scientists such Max Delbrück and Jean Weigle in the 20th Century had a revolutionizing effect on biology".
In his honor the institutions where he worked created Weigle Memorial Service and Weigle Memorial Lecture at CalTech, and several friends the Jean Weigle Memorial Fund.
The Weigle lecture honors his memory, who was instrumental for the development of Molecular Biology in Geneva.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
molecular biologist
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
at the CalTech
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
and a former physicist
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
from 1931 to 1948. He is known for his major contributions on field of the bacteriophage λ
Lambda phage
Enterobacteria phage λ is a temperate bacteriophage that infects Escherichia coli.Lambda phage is a virus particle consisting of a head, containing double-stranded linear DNA as its genetic material, and a tail that can have tail fibers. The phage particle recognizes and binds to its host, E...
research, focused on the interactions between those viruses and their E. coli
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
hosts.
Biography
Jean Weigle was born in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland, where he obtained his PhD in physics in 1923, from the University of Geneva.
He married Ruth Juliette Falk, a widow.
He died in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, after suffering another heart attack in 1968.
Research
As a physicist he was awarded for his research on of x-ray diffractionX-ray scattering techniques
X-ray scattering techniques are a family of non-destructive analytical techniques which reveal information about the crystallographic structure, chemical composition, and physical properties of materials and thin films...
to the study of crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
structure; the effects of temperature on this diffraction; the diffraction of light by ultrasonics
Ultrasonics
Ultrasonics is a term meaning the application of ultrasound. It is often used in industry as a shorthand term for any equipment employing ultrasonic principles....
.
He was working as professor of Physics at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in the 1920s.
At the University of Geneva he became director of the Institute of Physics since 1931, he developed the first electron microscope
Electron microscope
An electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
made in Switzerland, important factor for the studies of molecular biology leading to creation in 1964 of the Institute of Molecular Biology (MOLBIO) by Edouard Kellenberger and others.
After suffering his first heart attack in 1946 he emigrated to the USA in 1948, resigned from the faculty of the University of Geneva and went to CalTech in California.
Then he turned to biology and worked in "phage" group of Max Delbrück
Max Delbrück
Max Ludwig Henning Delbrück was a German-American biophysicist and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Delbrück was born in Berlin, German Empire...
, Seymour Benzer
Seymour Benzer
Seymour Benzer was an American physicist, molecular biologist and behavioral geneticist. His career began during the molecular biology revolution of the 1950s, and he eventually rose to prominence in the fields of molecular and behavioral genetics. He led a productive genetics research lab both at...
, Elie Wollman, and Gunther Stent
Gunther Stent
Gunther S. Stent was Graduate Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He was born in Berlin as "Günter Siegmund Stensch"; the name was changed after the migration to the USA...
. He helped in their researches the Nobel
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
laureate
Werner Arber
Werner Arber
Werner Arber is a Swiss microbiologist and geneticist. Along with American researchers Hamilton Smith and Daniel Nathans, Werner Arber shared the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of restriction endonucleases...
, George Streisinger
George Streisinger
George Streisinger was a molecular biologist at the University of Oregon. He was the first person to clone a vertebrate, cloning zebra fish in his University of Oregon laboratory. He also pioneered work in the genetics of the T-even bacterial viruses...
, and Giuseppe Bertani also known as "Joe" or "Gio".
He is most noted for his demonstration with Matthew Meselson
Matthew Meselson
Matthew Stanley Meselson is an American geneticist and molecular biologist whose research was important in showing how DNA replicates, recombines and is repaired in cells. In his mature years, he has been an active chemical and biological weapons activist and consultant...
, of Caltech and Grete Kellenberger of Geneva that genetic recombination
Genetic recombination
Genetic recombination is a process by which a molecule of nucleic acid is broken and then joined to a different one. Recombination can occur between similar molecules of DNA, as in homologous recombination, or dissimilar molecules, as in non-homologous end joining. Recombination is a common method...
involves actual breakage and reunion of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
molecules. He created the classic induction of a lysogen
Lysogen
A lysogen or lysogenic phage is a phage that can exist as a prophage within its host organism. A prophage is the phage DNA in its dormant state, and is either integrated into the host bacteria's chromosome or more rarely exists as a stable plasmid within the host cell...
involved irradiating the infected cells with ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
light. He demonstrated through his classical experiments the inducible nature of the DNA repair
DNA repair
DNA repair refers to a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. In human cells, both normal metabolic activities and environmental factors such as UV light and radiation can cause DNA damage, resulting in as many as 1...
system.
Weigle mutagenesis that means inducible mutagenesis and Weigle reactivation that means inducible repair after DNA damage are named in his honor.
Selected works
- Weigle, J. J., and M. Delbrück. 1951. "Mutual exclusion between an infecting phage and a carried phage". J. Bacteriol. 62:301-318.
- Weigle, J. J. (1953). "Induction of Mutations in a Bacterial Virus". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 39 (7):628-636.PDF file
Legacy
"So Weigle was the pioneer of the whole lambda genetics business, which is now a real industrial operation"."The interest of physical scientists such Max Delbrück and Jean Weigle in the 20th Century had a revolutionizing effect on biology".
In his honor the institutions where he worked created Weigle Memorial Service and Weigle Memorial Lecture at CalTech, and several friends the Jean Weigle Memorial Fund.
The Weigle lecture honors his memory, who was instrumental for the development of Molecular Biology in Geneva.