Gabriel Bertrand
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Bertrand was a French biochemist and bacteriologist.
Bertrand introduced into biochemistry both the term “oxidase
” and the concept of trace elements.
The laccase
, a polyphenol oxidase and an enzyme oxidating urishiol and laccol obtained from the lacquer tree
, was first studied by Gabriel Bertrand in 1894. In 1904, Casimir Funk earned his Ph.D. after completing his dissertation on how to prepare two stilbene dyes, brazilin
and hematoxylin. He then went to the Pasteur Institute
in Paris, where he studied organic bases and amino acids under Gabriel Bertrand. During his time in Paris, Funk experimented with laccol, a phenol that caused him to suffer painful swelling.
Bertrand's rule is the fact that the dose–response curve for many micronutrients is non-monotonic, having an initial stage of increasing benefits with increased intake, followed by increasing costs as excesses become toxic.
Bertrand introduced into biochemistry both the term “oxidase
Oxidase
An oxidase is any enzyme that catalyzes an oxidation-reduction reaction involving molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor. In these reactions, oxygen is reduced to water or hydrogen peroxide ....
” and the concept of trace elements.
The laccase
Laccase
Laccases are copper-containing oxidase enzymes that are found in many plants, fungi, and microorganisms. The copper is bound in several sites; Type 1, Type 2, and/or Type 3. The ensemble of types 2 and 3 copper is called a trinuclear cluster . Type 1 copper is available to action of solvents,...
, a polyphenol oxidase and an enzyme oxidating urishiol and laccol obtained from the lacquer tree
Lacquer Tree
Toxicodendron vernicifluum , also known with the common name Chinese lacquer tree, is a species of genus Toxicodendron that grows in East Asia, in regions of China, Korea and Japan...
, was first studied by Gabriel Bertrand in 1894. In 1904, Casimir Funk earned his Ph.D. after completing his dissertation on how to prepare two stilbene dyes, brazilin
Brazilin
Brazilin is a red pigment obtained from the wood of the brazilwood family , and is also known as Natural Red 24. Brazilin has been used since at least the Middle Ages to dye fabric, and has been used to make paints and inks as well...
and hematoxylin. He then went to the Pasteur Institute
Pasteur Institute
The Pasteur Institute is a French non-profit private foundation dedicated to the study of biology, micro-organisms, diseases, and vaccines. It is named after Louis Pasteur, who made some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine at the time, including pasteurization and vaccines for anthrax...
in Paris, where he studied organic bases and amino acids under Gabriel Bertrand. During his time in Paris, Funk experimented with laccol, a phenol that caused him to suffer painful swelling.
Bertrand's rule is the fact that the dose–response curve for many micronutrients is non-monotonic, having an initial stage of increasing benefits with increased intake, followed by increasing costs as excesses become toxic.