Emil L. Smith
Encyclopedia
Emil L. Smith was an American biochemist who studied protein structure and function as well as biochemical evolution.
Initially intending to go into medicine, Smith became interested in biology and organic chemistry during his second year at Columbia University
. He earned a B.S. in 1931 and stayed at Columbia to study photosynthesis
under Selig Hecht, completing a Ph.D. in biophysics
in 1936. In 1938, he went to Cambridge University on a Guggenheim Fellowship
to work with David Keilin
on the chlorophyll-protein complex. Upon returning to the U.S. during World War II
, he took a position at Yale University
's Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
to work with Hubert Bradford Vickery. He joined the lab of eminent protein chemist Max Bergmann
at the Rockefeller Institute
in 1940, where he worked with a number of important biochemists and began a significant line of research on the intestinal enzyme erepsin
.
Between 1942 and 1946, he worked at E. R. Squibb & Sons on the production of human blood products for use in the war. In 1946 he became an associate professor (and ultimately full professor) at the University of Utah
. In 1958, Emanuel Margoliash
joined his lab and they began working on the peptide sequence
of the protein cytochrome c
; based on comparisons between cytochrome c from different species, Smith and Margoliash performed some of the earliest work in the field of molecular evolution
, applying the idea of the molecular clock
to the highly conserved cytochrome c sequence. In 1969, he worked with James Bonner
to sequence histone H4
in several species, which was also of significant use in evolutionary studies.
In 1963, he moved to UCLA as Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Chemistry in the School of Medicine, and became an emeritus professor in 1979.
In 1962, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
. In 1987, Smith won the Stein-Moore Award of The Protein Society.
Initially intending to go into medicine, Smith became interested in biology and organic chemistry during his second year at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He earned a B.S. in 1931 and stayed at Columbia to study photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
under Selig Hecht, completing a Ph.D. in biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
in 1936. In 1938, he went to Cambridge University on a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
to work with David Keilin
David Keilin
David Keilin FRS was an entomologist, among other things.His family returned to Warsaw early in his youth. He did not attend school until age ten due to ill health and asthma. Only seven years later, in 1904, he enrolled in the University of Liège...
on the chlorophyll-protein complex. Upon returning to the U.S. during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he took a position at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
's Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is the Connecticut state government's agricultural experiment station, a state government component that engages in scientific research and public outreach in agriculture and related fields. It is the oldest state experiment station in the United...
to work with Hubert Bradford Vickery. He joined the lab of eminent protein chemist Max Bergmann
Max Bergmann
Max Bergmann was a Jewish-German biochemist. He was the first to use the Carboxybenzyl protecting group for the synthesis of oligopeptides.-Life and work:Bergmann was born in Fürth, Bavaria, Germany on February 12, 1886....
at the Rockefeller Institute
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
in 1940, where he worked with a number of important biochemists and began a significant line of research on the intestinal enzyme erepsin
Erepsin
Erepsin is an enzyme that digests peptones into amino acids. It is grouped under exopeptidases. They work only on the outside peptide bonds of a peptone. Its optimum pH is around pH 8. It is produced by the intestinal glands in the ileum and are found in the intestinal juices. Also produced by the...
.
Between 1942 and 1946, he worked at E. R. Squibb & Sons on the production of human blood products for use in the war. In 1946 he became an associate professor (and ultimately full professor) at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. In 1958, Emanuel Margoliash
Emanuel Margoliash
Emanuel Margoliash was a biochemist who spent much of his career studying the protein cytochrome c. He is best known for his work on molecular evolution; with Walter Fitch, he devised Fitch-Margoliash method for constructing evolutionary trees based on protein sequences.He was a member of the...
joined his lab and they began working on the peptide sequence
Peptide sequence
Peptide sequence or amino acid sequence is the order in which amino acid residues, connected by peptide bonds, lie in the chain in peptides and proteins. The sequence is generally reported from the N-terminal end containing free amino group to the C-terminal end containing free carboxyl group...
of the protein cytochrome c
Cytochrome c
The Cytochrome complex, or cyt c is a small heme protein found loosely associated with the inner membrane of the mitochondrion. It belongs to the cytochrome c family of proteins. Cytochrome c is a highly soluble protein, unlike other cytochromes, with a solubility of about 100 g/L and is an...
; based on comparisons between cytochrome c from different species, Smith and Margoliash performed some of the earliest work in the field of 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...
, applying the idea of the molecular clock
Molecular clock
The molecular clock is a technique in molecular evolution that uses fossil constraints and rates of molecular change to deduce the time in geologic history when two species or other taxa diverged. It is used to estimate the time of occurrence of events called speciation or radiation...
to the highly conserved cytochrome c sequence. In 1969, he worked with James Bonner
James Bonner
Col. James Bonner was born in 1719 in either Beaufort Precinct of Hyde Precinct of Bath County. His father, Thomas Bonner was a land owner in Hyde Precinct in 1715. He died in Beaufort County, North Carolina in 1782. He was buried in the town of Washington which was founded on his land. His grave...
to sequence histone H4
Histone H4
Histone H4 is one of the 5 main histone proteins involved in the structure of chromatin in eukaryotic cells. Featuring a main globular domain and a long N terminal tail, H4 is a structural component of the nucleosome, and is subject to covalent modification, including acetylation and methylation,...
in several species, which was also of significant use in evolutionary studies.
In 1963, he moved to UCLA as Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Chemistry in the School of Medicine, and became an emeritus professor in 1979.
In 1962, he was elected to 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 1987, Smith won the Stein-Moore Award of The Protein Society.