Arthur Pardee
Encyclopedia
Arthur Pardee is an American biochemist. One biographical portrait http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/cc/ccpdf/a11820916767671121y00gf30471010/blagosklonnyCC1-2.pdf?PHPSESSID=5498691e0c69760eb9d63a4a0f4cd285 begins "Among the titans of science, Arthur Pardee is especially intriguing." There is hardly a field of molecular biology that is not affected by his work, which has advanced our understanding through theoretical predictions followed by insightful experiments. He is perhaps most famous for his part in the 'PaJaMo experiment' of the late 1950s, which greatly helped in the discovery of messenger RNA
. He is also well known as the discoverer of the restriction point
, in which a cell commits itself to certain cell cycle
events during the G1 cycle. He has done a great deal of work on tumor
growth and regulation, with a particular focus on the role of estrogen
in hormone
-responsive tumors. And he is also well known for the development of various biochemical research techniques, most notably the differential display methodology, which is used in examining the activation of genes in cells. More recently he has championed the acceptance and adoption of the conceptual review as a valuable approach to unearthing new knowledge from the enormous stores of information in the scientific literature.
in 1942 while his Masters (1943) and PhD (1947) degrees were earned at the California Institute of Technology
under the mentorship of Linus Pauling
, who he considered to be the greatest chemist of the 20th century. Pardee did postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
before returning to Berkeley as an instructor in biochemistry in 1949. In the 1950s, he was on a sabbatical with Francois Jacob
and Jacques Monod
in Paris. In 1961 Pardee became Professor in Biochemical Sciences at Princeton University
while in 1975 he moved to Boston to become Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
and Harvard Medical School
as well as Chief for the Division of Cell Growth and Regulation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Pardee became an emeritus professor at Dana-Farber in 1992. He has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences
in 1968.
('Ja'), and Jacques Monod
('Mo'). Monod had previously spent many years studying enzyme production by E. coli bacteria
, and in particular he had developed a system to genetically manipulate the bacterium's system of producing beta galactosidase, which controls its lactose
metabolism.
The PaJaMo experiment was a series of conjugation—matings between 'male' and 'female' E. Coli bacteria in which the transfer of genes between the two was observed. Mutated 'female' bacteria were bred that had a non-functioning beta galactosidase production system. Then, normal 'male' bacteria were used to insert genes into the female bacteria which restored the system.
This led to a surprise. Pardee, Jacob and Monod had expected that the bacteria would take a while to begin producing beta galactosidase Instead, production began almost immediately. This led biologists to question how genetic information could be converted to protein so quickly, and the answer was found in 1960 in messenger RNA.
The PaJaMo work was published in the Journal of Molecular Biology
in one if its first editions in 1959 (see Pardee A B, Jacob F & Monod J. The genetic control and cytoplasmic expression of “inducibility” in the synthesis of B-galactosidase by E. coli., J. Mol. Biol. 1:165-78).
in 1974 (A restriction point for control of normal animal cell proliferation, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1974; 71:1286-90).
, who gained his PhD at Berkeley under Pardee's supervision in 1961.
Messenger RNA
Messenger RNA is a molecule of RNA encoding a chemical "blueprint" for a protein product. mRNA is transcribed from a DNA template, and carries coding information to the sites of protein synthesis: the ribosomes. Here, the nucleic acid polymer is translated into a polymer of amino acids: a protein...
. He is also well known as the discoverer of the restriction point
Restriction point
The restriction point is a G1 phase checkpoint in the cell cycle of animal cells. Prior to the restriction point, a cell exits the cell cycle if specific mitogenic and growth signals are absent. Cells that progress past the restriction point are committed to enter S phase, where DNA synthesis and...
, in which a cell commits itself to certain cell cycle
Cell cycle
The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the series of events that takes place in a cell leading to its division and duplication . In cells without a nucleus , the cell cycle occurs via a process termed binary fission...
events during the G1 cycle. He has done a great deal of work on tumor
Tumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
growth and regulation, with a particular focus on the role of estrogen
Estrogen
Estrogens , oestrogens , or œstrogens, are a group of compounds named for their importance in the estrous cycle of humans and other animals. They are the primary female sex hormones. Natural estrogens are steroid hormones, while some synthetic ones are non-steroidal...
in hormone
Hormone
A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
-responsive tumors. And he is also well known for the development of various biochemical research techniques, most notably the differential display methodology, which is used in examining the activation of genes in cells. More recently he has championed the acceptance and adoption of the conceptual review as a valuable approach to unearthing new knowledge from the enormous stores of information in the scientific literature.
Career
Pardee received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1942 while his Masters (1943) and PhD (1947) degrees were earned at the California Institute of Technology
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...
under the mentorship 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...
, who he considered to be the greatest chemist of the 20th century. Pardee did postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
before returning to Berkeley as an instructor in biochemistry in 1949. In the 1950s, he was on a sabbatical with Francois Jacob
François Jacob
François Jacob is a French biologist who, together with Jacques Monod, originated the idea that control of enzyme levels in all cells occurs through feedback on transcription. He shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Medicine with Jacques Monod and André Lwoff.-Childhood and education:François Jacob is...
and Jacques Monod
Jacques Monod
Jacques Lucien Monod was a French biologist who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965, sharing it with François Jacob and Andre Lwoff "for their discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis"...
in Paris. In 1961 Pardee became Professor in Biochemical Sciences at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
while in 1975 he moved to Boston to become Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is part of a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute. It is a major affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts.-Overview:...
and Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
as well as Chief for the Division of Cell Growth and Regulation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Pardee became an emeritus professor at Dana-Farber in 1992. He has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
in 1968.
The PaJaMo experiment
The PaJaMo experiment was conducted by Pardee (the 'Pa' part of the experiment's name) and two collaborators at the Institut Pasteur in Paris - François JacobFrançois Jacob
François Jacob is a French biologist who, together with Jacques Monod, originated the idea that control of enzyme levels in all cells occurs through feedback on transcription. He shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Medicine with Jacques Monod and André Lwoff.-Childhood and education:François Jacob is...
('Ja'), and Jacques Monod
Jacques Monod
Jacques Lucien Monod was a French biologist who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965, sharing it with François Jacob and Andre Lwoff "for their discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis"...
('Mo'). Monod had previously spent many years studying enzyme production by E. coli bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
, and in particular he had developed a system to genetically manipulate the bacterium's system of producing beta galactosidase, which controls its lactose
Lactose
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,...
metabolism.
The PaJaMo experiment was a series of conjugation—matings between 'male' and 'female' E. Coli bacteria in which the transfer of genes between the two was observed. Mutated 'female' bacteria were bred that had a non-functioning beta galactosidase production system. Then, normal 'male' bacteria were used to insert genes into the female bacteria which restored the system.
This led to a surprise. Pardee, Jacob and Monod had expected that the bacteria would take a while to begin producing beta galactosidase Instead, production began almost immediately. This led biologists to question how genetic information could be converted to protein so quickly, and the answer was found in 1960 in messenger RNA.
The PaJaMo work was published in the Journal of Molecular Biology
Journal of Molecular Biology
The Journal of Molecular Biology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published weekly by Elsevier. It covers original scientific research concerning studies of organisms or their components at the molecular level.- Notable articles :...
in one if its first editions in 1959 (see Pardee A B, Jacob F & Monod J. The genetic control and cytoplasmic expression of “inducibility” in the synthesis of B-galactosidase by E. coli., J. Mol. Biol. 1:165-78).
The Restriction Point
In the early 1970s Pardee identified that the cell cycle has a point in the 'G1' Phase where the cell, as it were, 'commits' to moving to the 'S' Phase. Pardee published on this so-called 'Restriction Point', sometimes called the 'Pardee Point', in the Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, usually referred to as PNAS, is the official journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences...
in 1974 (A restriction point for control of normal animal cell proliferation, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1974; 71:1286-90).
Students
Pardee's students have included Allan WilsonAllan Wilson
Allan Charles Wilson was a pioneer in the use of molecular approaches to understand evolutionary change and reconstruct phylogenies, and a contributor to the study of human evolution. He was one of the most controversial figures in post-war biology; his work attracted a great deal of attention...
, who gained his PhD at Berkeley under Pardee's supervision in 1961.
External links
- http://202.114.65.51/fzjx/wsw/newindex/wswfzjs/pdf/404pardee.pdf The 'PaJaMo' paper from the Journal of Molecular Biology.
- http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/71/4/1286.pdf The 1974 PNAS paper on the Restriction Point.
- http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/cc/ccpdf/a11820916767671121y00gf30471010/blagosklonnyCC1-2.pdf?PHPSESSID=5498691e0c69760eb9d63a4a0f4cd285 Portrait of an Editorial Board Member: Arthur B. Pardee in the journal Cell Cycle (1:2, 100-100, March/April 2002).
- http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&p=1&f=S&l=50&Query=in%2F%22Pardee%3B+Arthur%22&d=ptxt U.S. patents that list Arthur Pardee as an inventor.
- http://www.biotechniques.com/default.asp?page=current&subsection=article_display&id=112324http://www.biotechniques.com/article.asp?id=112324 interview: Science in the Blood, BioTechniques, 2006, vol. 41, no. 6, p. 659.