Thomas H. Jukes
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hughes Jukes was a British-American biologist known for his work in nutrition
, molecular evolution
, and for his public engagement with controversial scientific issues, including DDT
, vitamin C
and creationism
. He was the co-author, with Jack Lester King
, of the 1969 Science
article "Non-Darwinian Evolution
" which, along with Motoo Kimura
's earlier publication, was the origin of the neutral theory of molecular evolution
.
Jukes was born in Hastings, England, but moved to Toronto
in 1924. In 1933, he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Toronto
. He spent the next decade in the University of California
system, first as a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley, then as Instructor and Assistant Professor at UC Davis. At Davis, he helped determine the relationships among the B complex vitamins through experiments on chicken
s. He then left academia to work for American Cyanamid
's Lederle Laboratories, where he helped established that folic acid
is a vitamin and discovered that feeding livestock
a continual supply of antibiotics significantly enhances growth (a practice that has become widespread in the meat industry).
Following the rise of molecular biology
, Jukes returned to UC Berkeley, where he spent the rest of his career. Independently of Motoo Kimura
, Jukes (with Jack King) proposed in 1969 that the evolution of proteins is primarily driven by genetic drift
acting on mutations that are neither beneficial nor deleterious—the neutral theory of molecular evolution
. Despite the provocative paper ("Non-Darwinian Evolution"), he was not a prominent participant in the ensuing "neutralist-selectionist debate"; defense of the neutral theory was primarily left to others, especially Kimura. In 1971, Jukes was one of the founders of the Journal of Molecular Evolution
; his subsequent work with molecular evolution focused especially on the origin and evolution of the genetic code
.
After returning to Berkeley, he also became heavily involved in a number of public scientific controversies, and was a gifted polemicist. In the 1960s, he fought against the introduction of creationism
into the California public schools. Following the rise of the environmental movement
, he fought against DDT
bans, citing lack of evidence for detrimental effects to ecosystem
s. Between 1975 and 1980 he was one of the only scientists ever to have a regular column in the journal Nature
, which he used to denounce a variety of what he considered pseudoscience, expressing "his deep suspicion that categorical statements of scientific 'fact' are usually exaggerations." He was one of the most prominent critics of Linus Pauling
's claims about the benefits of vitamin C megadosage
, and a frequent critic of other nutrition-based health and treatment claims, such as for homeopathy
and the supposed cancer cure Laetrile.
Thomas Jukes died of pneumonia, leaving his wife Marguerite, two daughters, one daughter-in-law, and seven grandchildren.
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, molecular evolution
Molecular evolution
Molecular evolution is in part a process of evolution at the scale of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Molecular evolution emerged as a scientific field in the 1960s as researchers from molecular biology, evolutionary biology and population genetics sought to understand recent discoveries on the structure...
, and for his public engagement with controversial scientific issues, including DDT
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
, vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...
and creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
. He was the co-author, with Jack Lester King
Jack Lester King
Jack Lester King was an American evolutionary biologist best known for co-authoring a seminal paper on the neutral theory of molecular evolution, "Non-Darwinian Evolution"....
, of the 1969 Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
article "Non-Darwinian Evolution
Non-Darwinian Evolution
"Non-Darwinian Evolution" is a 1969 scientific paper co-authored by Jack Lester King and Thomas H. Jukes that is credited, along with Motoo Kimura's 1968 paper "Evolutionary Rate at the Molecular Level", with proposing what became known as the neutral theory of molecular evolution...
" which, along with Motoo Kimura
Motoo Kimura
was a Japanese biologist best known for introducing the neutral theory of molecular evolution in 1968. He became one of the most influential theoretical population geneticists. He is remembered in genetics for his innovative use of diffusion equations to calculate the probability of fixation of...
's earlier publication, was the origin of the neutral theory of molecular evolution
Neutral theory of molecular evolution
The neutral theory of molecular evolution states that the vast majority of evolutionary changes at the molecular level are caused by random drift of selectively neutral mutants . The theory was introduced by Motoo Kimura in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
.
Jukes was born in Hastings, England, but moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1924. In 1933, he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He spent the next decade in the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
system, first as a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley, then as Instructor and Assistant Professor at UC Davis. At Davis, he helped determine the relationships among the B complex vitamins through experiments on chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
s. He then left academia to work for American Cyanamid
American Cyanamid
American Cyanamid was a large, diversified, American chemical manufacturer, founded by Frank Washburn in 1907. It was the only United States firm manufacturing the polio vaccine of the Sabin type....
's Lederle Laboratories, where he helped established that folic acid
Folic acid
Folic acid and folate , as well as pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate, and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B9...
is a vitamin and discovered that feeding livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
a continual supply of antibiotics significantly enhances growth (a practice that has become widespread in the meat industry).
Following the rise of molecular biology
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...
, Jukes returned to UC Berkeley, where he spent the rest of his career. Independently of Motoo Kimura
Motoo Kimura
was a Japanese biologist best known for introducing the neutral theory of molecular evolution in 1968. He became one of the most influential theoretical population geneticists. He is remembered in genetics for his innovative use of diffusion equations to calculate the probability of fixation of...
, Jukes (with Jack King) proposed in 1969 that the evolution of proteins is primarily driven by genetic drift
Genetic drift
Genetic drift or allelic drift is the change in the frequency of a gene variant in a population due to random sampling.The alleles in the offspring are a sample of those in the parents, and chance has a role in determining whether a given individual survives and reproduces...
acting on mutations that are neither beneficial nor deleterious—the neutral theory of molecular evolution
Neutral theory of molecular evolution
The neutral theory of molecular evolution states that the vast majority of evolutionary changes at the molecular level are caused by random drift of selectively neutral mutants . The theory was introduced by Motoo Kimura in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
. Despite the provocative paper ("Non-Darwinian Evolution"), he was not a prominent participant in the ensuing "neutralist-selectionist debate"; defense of the neutral theory was primarily left to others, especially Kimura. In 1971, Jukes was one of the founders of the Journal of Molecular Evolution
Journal of Molecular Evolution
The Journal of Molecular Evolution is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers molecular evolution. The journal is published by Springer and was established in 1971. The founding editor is Emile Zuckerkandl, who remained editor in chief until the late 1990s...
; his subsequent work with molecular evolution focused especially on the origin and evolution of the genetic code
Genetic code
The genetic code is the set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material is translated into proteins by living cells....
.
After returning to Berkeley, he also became heavily involved in a number of public scientific controversies, and was a gifted polemicist. In the 1960s, he fought against the introduction of creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
into the California public schools. Following the rise of the environmental movement
Environmental movement
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
, he fought against DDT
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
bans, citing lack of evidence for detrimental effects to ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s. Between 1975 and 1980 he was one of the only scientists ever to have a regular column in the journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
, which he used to denounce a variety of what he considered pseudoscience, expressing "his deep suspicion that categorical statements of scientific 'fact' are usually exaggerations." He was one of the most prominent critics of Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
's claims about the benefits of vitamin C megadosage
Vitamin C megadosage
Vitamin C megadosage is the consumption of vitamin C in doses comparable to the amounts produced by the livers of most other mammals and well beyond the current Dietary Reference Intake...
, and a frequent critic of other nutrition-based health and treatment claims, such as for homeopathy
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
and the supposed cancer cure Laetrile.
Thomas Jukes died of pneumonia, leaving his wife Marguerite, two daughters, one daughter-in-law, and seven grandchildren.