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Martinus Willem Beijerinck (1851-1931)

Pioneer of general

KING-THOM CHUNG and DEAM HUNTER FERRIS

“Fortunate are those who now start.” that use methane as their sole source of carbon and Martinus W. Beijerinck energy. Albert Jan Kluyver, who inherited the chair of Beijerinck in 1921, developed the theory of metabolic Late in 1995, microbiologist, historians, and digni- unity and diversity for . And C. B. Van taries participated in a conference, “Beijerinck Centen- Niel, one of Kluyver’s students, migrated to the United nial-Microbial Physiology and Gene Regulation: States, where he influenced an entire generation of Emerging Principles and Application,” in The Hague, microbiologists with his enthusiasm for unusual bio- The Netherlands, to commemorate the appointment of chemistry and physiology. Together with Pasteur, Martinus Willem Beijerinck, the great microbiologist, Koch, and the Russian Sergi N. Winogradsky, who as a professor at Delft Polytechnic School. Despite his specialized in soil microorganisms, Beijerinck is re- discovering the filterability of the infectious agent garded as a founder of microbiology as a distinct responsible for tobacco mosaic disease, identifying the discipline. first microbial sulfate reducer, and conducting pioneer- ing on nitrogen fixation, very few current Beijerinck’s Humble Family Origins students of biology are aware of Beijerinck’s fundamen- tal contributions to the development of microbiology. The family of Martinus Willem Beijerinck, who was One reason that Beijerinck is not better known is born on 16 March 1851 in Amsterdam, The Nether- that his studies of plant- and soil-associated microor- lands, came from ganisms were less dramatic than those of his contem- Twente in the prov- poraries and Robert Koch. Moreover, ince of Overijsel. His their work related to familiar human and animal father, Derk Beijer- diseases. inck (1805~1879), Beije.rinck, with his keen ability for observation, and mother, Jean- was a prime mover in establishing general microbiol- nette Henriette van ogy as a major discipline. Well before most universities Slogteren (1811- recognized microbiology as a distinct discipline, he 1875), had one other established the Delft School of Microbiology, which set son and two daugh- the cornerstone for developing many such departments ters. and institutions worldwide. Soon this school attracted When Derk Bei- a steady stream of insightful researchers, including the jerinck’s tobacco _ botanist and microscopist Gijsebertus Van Iterson and business in Amster- N. L. Sohngen, the first to describe microorganisms dam failed, he and his family moved to King-Thorn Chung (corresponding author) is a pro- Naarden in 1851, fessor of microbiology at the Department of Microbiol- where he found work ogy and Molecular Cell Sciences, The University of as a clerk in the Beijerinck (from ASM Archives) Memphis, Memphis, Tenn. Deam Hunter Ferris, profes- Haarlem booking of- sor emeritus of the Department of Pathobiology, Uni- fice of the Holland versity of Illinois, Urbana, passed away on 8 December Railway Company. Although the family was too poor to 1993 during the preparation of this article. . send Martinus to school, his father taught him not only

VOL. 62, NO. 10, 1996 539 all the subjects of elementary Scientific Highlights of Beijerinck’s Career school but also French, English, l Demonstrated the filterability of the infectious agent of tobacco mosaic disease a little German, artwork, and and coined the term “filterable .” Described the intracellular reproduction some astronomy and physics. of tobacco mosaic virus in 1898, a pioneering contribution in . At the age of 12, Martinus l Isolated BaciZZus rudicicola and proved that it forms nodules on the roots of went on to the elementary Leguminosae species. Later isolated Rhizobium species, studied nitrogen fixa- school of Master Knoop and, tion, and demonstrated nitrogen fixation by free-living microorganisms, partic- subsequently, the Hoogere ularly Azotobacter chroococcum. Burgerschool (secondary school) * Isolated and described in detail the denitrification process of BaciZZus sphaero- at Haarlem. Despite an inferior- sporus and Bacillus nitrous. a Isolated sulfate producing ThiobaciZZus species and demonstrated their chemo- ity complex that undermined autotrophic nature. Also studied hydrogen sulfide production by Aerubacter his self-confidence, intelligence species. and hard work led him to the l Contributed to the understanding of lactic acid involved in producing top rank in his class. Moreover, kefir and yogurt. Demonstrated the significance of a catalase-negative reaction during this time, Frederik Wil- and proposed the generic name LactobaciZZus. lem van Eeden, his science l Introduced the generic name Acetobacter, described pigment-producing Aceto- in botany, greatly influ- baeter melanogenum, and studied butyric acid and butyl alcohol fermentation. enced Beijerinck. The two of l Pioneered the study of luminescent bacteria and isolated Phutobacterium them spent considerable time Zuminosum (1889). Pioneered the study of yeast, isolated Schixosuccharumyces wandering the sand dunes near octoporus from raisins, and discovered the saccharolytic enzyme lactase of Saccharomyces tyrucola, Haarlem nurturing a love of * Was the first to obtain pure cultures of algae, zoochlorellae, and gunidia of plant life. In 1866, at the age of lichens. 15, he won a contest on the basis l Studied urea decomposition, microbial variations (mutations), and oxygen of his collection of 150 species of relationships among bacteria. plants. * Observed Sarcina uentriculi in media of high acidicity and under anaerobic With the help of his brother conditions. and uncle, Beijerinck entered a Studied plant galls and did extensive morphological work on adventitious the Delft Polytechnical School, structures and regeneration phenomena in plants. where chemistry became his l Studied phyllotaxis, the arrangement of leaves on plant stems, major subject but plants re- l Investigated the CZasterusporium carpophilum (later named C. belijer- mained his major nick), the potent cause of gummosis. interest. While a student, he met J. H. Van’t Hoff, who later won the first Nobel Prize in chemistry. They undertook many together, and Van’t The Delft School of Microbiology Hoff later became Beijerinck’s lifelong adviser. When- Family Tree Project - - ~ ever a new opportunity arose for Beijerinck, he con- On a freezing evening outside the former Microbi- sulted with Van’t Hoff before taking action. ology in Delft late in 1995, the son of Albert Beijerinck graduated in 1872 and enrolled in the Jan Kluyver unveiled a plague commemurating the building, which is now an apartment complex. In that laboratory Beijerinck and Kluyver founded the D M. W. Beijerinck School of Microbiology a century ago. This year as we Delft University of Technology celebrate the Beijerinck centennial, we alsu recognize I the five generations of microbiologists who descended A.J. Kluyver Delft University B.J.D. Meeuse- University of Washington becoming a pkfessor, we D.R. Kreger 117 J.E. van Amstel tree” of microbiolotists who- can traj Agricultural University of Wageningen J.P. Pfeiffer A. van Rossem many others H.C. Jacobsen Unilever aspects is its international spread. E A.H.van Delden school are found on every major land block and in many countries,

Ledey A. Robertsun

LesZey A. Robertson of the KZuyuer Laboratorlv fur Agricultural University of Wageningen at DeZft University uf Technoloiy - in wj j1 ’ DeZft, Xhe Netherlands, began the FamiZy Tree Pro*ject. I I I

ASM News Features

ued research and in 1877 published his [See Mini-tree 3. ] first paper on plant galls. In the same year he received his doctorate from the Univer- sity of Leiden. His dissertation was dedi- cated to his father. He remained in Wage- C.B. van Niel y J. W.M. la Riviere; IHE Stanford University E.S. Idziak; McGill University ningen, teaching and studying plant galls. T. WikCn N. Kreger-van Rij; CBS In 1883, one of his papers was accepted by Delft University of Technology A.J. van der Eb; University of Leiden H. Veldkamp R.I. Mateles; Candida Corporation the Amsterdam Academy, a great honor for University of Groningen A. Fuchs; Agricultural University of J. Lodder Wageningen him. Gist brocades G.D. Vogels; Catholic University of According to L. E. den Dooren de Jong, J.P. van der Walt Nijmegen University of the Orange Free State C.J.E. Bulder; Agricultural University of one of his students during this period, D.M.J. Westendijk Wageningen CBS and many, many others Beijerinck was a demanding and unpopu- J.C. Hoogerheide lar teacher who shouted his demands and Gist brocades R.L.Starkey often berated students for their mistakes. Rutgers University C.E.Clifton Their attitudes disappointed Beijerinck, J.G. Kuenen; Delft University of Technology Stanford University W. Harder; University of Groningen who did not seem to understand the outlook C.J.E.A.Bulder W. Konings; University of Groningen Agricultural University of Wageningen on life of these “normal” students. J.C. Gottschal; University of Groningen A. Kaars Sijpesteijn and many others To Beijerinck, there was nothing more T.N.O. I- H.A. Barker interesting than science. Botanical re- University of California ’ +, B.E. Volcani The next Delft Generation search was the love of his life. His work Scripps Institute of Oceanography was increasingly recognized by the scien- S. Soriano University of Buenos Aires tific establishment in The Netherlands, J. De Ley University of Gent. which in May 1884 elected him to the H.J. Phaff Royal Academy of Sciences in Amsterdam. University of California, Davis N.J. Palleroni; Rutgers University W. Verhoeven R.E. Halbinger; University of Buenos Aires During this period he also came into regu- Nutricia and many others P.A.Roelofsen lar contact with many influential scholars, Delft University of Technology such as the botanist Hugo Marie De Vries N.M.Stelling-Decker CBS (1848 -1935), who rediscovered Mendel’s B. Elema rules of inheritance; the astronomer A. C. Gist brocades T.Y. Kingma-Boltjes H.J.J. van Vuuren; University of Stellenbosch Oudemans (1827-1906); the ophthalmolo- University of Amsterdam J.J. Joubert; University of Stellenbosch J.G.H. Wessels K. Kersters; University of Gent gist and optician F. C. Donders (1818- University of Groningen \ J.W. Park; University of Seoul 1889); and the German physiologist and H.G.Schlegel A.H. Stouthamer; University of Amsterdam University of Gijttingen -\ \I & many others microbiologist W. T. Engelmann (1843- J.C. Senez University of Marseilles 1909). At Wageningen, with Adolf Mayer, E.H. Houwink who first discovered the transmissible na- Organon and many, many others G.H. FleetlUniversity of New South Wales ture of tobacco mosaic disease, he founded the Society for Encouragement of Natural S. Meyer; Georgia State University M.A. Lachance; University of Western Ontario Science.

Beijerinck Moves from Academic Life In 1885, Beijerinck became a microbiol- ogist at the Netherlands Yeast and Alcohol Manufactory in Delft at the invitation of its University of Leiden the same year. On 7 June 1873, he farsighted director, J. C. Van Marken. Paid an extraor- passed the candidate examination, magna cum laude, dinarily high salary and provided with excellent equip- and was hired to teach at the Agricultural School in ment to establish an outstanding laboratory for micro- Warffum in the province of Groningen; however, his biology, Beijerinck really came into his own. teaching was poor, and this job lasted for only a year. Just before the new laboratory was completed, Meanwhile, he continued to study biology at the Uni- Beijerinck visited several important researchers else- versity of Leiden. In 1875, he became a part-time where in Europe, including the founder of mycology, teacher at the State Secondary School at Warffum Henrich Anton De B&y at Strasbourg, while continuing graduate school. When his mother (1831-1888), France, and another expert on fungi, Emil Christian died that same year, he was very upset. Hansen (1842-1909), whose specialty was the study of yeasts, at Copenhagen, Denmark. Although admired ’ Research and Teaching Become Beijerinck’s for his scientific enthusiasm, Beijerinck’s fondness for Focus dispute did not always make him welcome. For in- In 1876, he took another teaching position at the stance, his plans to visit Koch in Berlin were unfulfilled Agricultural High School in Wageningen. This time, he because of his reputation. From then Beijerinck devel- liked his job greatly because he enjoyed teaching bot- oped a pronounced dislike for medical . In any, a subject which really interested him. He contin- contrast to most microbiologists at the time, who fol-

VOL. 62, NO. 10, 1996 541 Despite such work-related successes, however, Beijerinck was deeply withdrawn and lived an extremely lonely life. Some of 1 E. Canale-Parola; University of Mass R.P. Gunsalus; University of Califorma his writings reflect a concern that he might 171 Fv”;lMMPlanck Institute not live up to the expectations of the com- pany. In addition, he did not get on well 1 with colleagues. Fortunately, he enjoyed R.S. Wolfe y University of Illinois strong support from director Van Marken, R.E. Hungate who convinced him several times not to University of California R. Stanier R. Mah; University of California resign. He also formed a close friendship University of California M.P.Bryant; University of Illinois Institut Pasteur with a young technologist, F. G. Waller, a J.T. Staley; University of Washington M. Doudoroff J.M. Macey; LaTrobe University future chairman of the board of the Yeast University of California and many others H. Larsen I‘ and Spirit Work. University of Trondheim R. Whittenbury University of Warwick Beijerinck’s Scientific Reputation S.C. Rittenberg University of California Grows H. Jannasch Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute In 1894, Beijerinck earned his place in L. Miller Hampshire College history with his paper on Spirillum desul- M. Shilo Hebrew University furicans, a sulfate reducer. He showed that y andmany other1 , s N. Pfennig - I this bacterium extracts energy by metabo- University of Konstanz J.W. Foster lizing sulfur compounds. This interest in University of Texas esoteric sulfate reduction arose from prac- S. Elsden, University of Sheffield tical problems in the yeast factory, which T.H. Blackbum J.G. Orrnerod; Oslo University University of Aarhus K. Eimhjellan; Norway Institute of Technology used canal water for its steam boilers. R. Prins I. Dundas; University of Bergen Bacteria extracted minerals in the water University of Gronngen H.O.Halvorsen; University of Illinois W. Vishniac V. Uspenskaya; Moscow State University and caused a buildup of calcium sulfate Rochester University M.F.Mullakhanbhai; Haryana Agricultural University E. Wollman and many others that fouled the boilers, he learned. Like [nstitut Pasteur that of Pasteur, Beijerinck’s research led to P. Berg Stan ford University solutions for industrial problems but also 2nd many many more produced valuable insights into basic mi- crobiology. E.R. Leadbetter; University of Connecticut Recognizing Beijerinck’s many achieve- J.J. Perry; North California State University ments and realizing that the scope of his work could expand in better surroundings, in 1895 Dutch government officials created a special position for him at the Delft Polytechnic School. Because the school had N.P. Revsbech; University of Aarhus no formal program in biology at that time, J. Sorensen; Royal Veterinarv and Agricultural University he was given a position in the chemistry KS. Jorgensen-National Board of Waters and many others department. Beijerinck was delighted with this new opportunity, which meant return- ing triumphantly to the school where his career started. lowed the lead of Pasteur and Koch by focusing on Although he was still unpopular, Bei- human and animal diseases, Beijerinck devoted his jerinck was a big inspiration to those who understood research to plant microbiology. his vast knowledge and dedication to science. Most of During this period in Delft, Beijerinck continued to his few doctoral students became eminent work on plant galls and related microbiological prob- and made significant contributions to science and in- lems. He made an important discovery, which later dustry. affected agriculture greatly, when he isolated nitrogen- Beijerinck appreciated quality scientific research, fixing root nodule bacteria in pure culture. This work giving credit to his assistants and allowing them to was but one of a multitude of projects. Increasingly publish important papers on their own. A. H. Van absorbed in research, he spent long hours in the Delden, his assistant from 1895 to 1904, did important laboratory, sometimes spending entire nights without work on nitrogen fixation, on Bacillus oligocarbophi- sleeping. Much of Beijerinck’s research was relevant to Zus, and on the retting of flax. He also helped work on production needs at the factory. For instance, he stud- sulfate reduction. G. Van Iterson, Jr., his assistant ied the butyl alcohol fermentation of Schizosaccharo- from 1902 to 1907, obtained a doctoral degree under rnyces octoporus and the nitrogen fixation of Bacillus Beijerinck’s guidance in 1907. By far his most brilliant radicicoZa. He also studied luminous bacteria and student, Van Iterson studied denitrification and de- green algae. composition of cellulose and later became an eminent

542 ASM News Features professor of botany. Yet another assistant, N. L. Sohn- Beijerinck was awarded many honors, including the gen, was the first to describe organisms that use Medal by the Royal Academy of Sciences methane as an energy and carbon source by demon- at Amsterdam, honorary membership in the Royal strating conversion of hydrogen to methane and ob- Botanical Society of Edinburgh, candidacy for a Nobel taining the first enrichment cultures of methane-pro- Prize in chemistry, commandership in the Order of ducing bacteria. Oranje-Nassau, corresponding membership in the Beijerinck’s persistence was amazing. According to Czech-Slovakian Botanical Society, the Danish Emil den Dooren de Jong he would sometimes begin to Christian Hansen Medal, and election as a foreign examine inoculated plates in the morning and continue member of the Royal Society of London. late into the evening on the same plates. His keen Beijerinck never married. In fact, he never dated observations enabled him to discover many important and had few, if any, female friends. He believed that microorganisms and their functions (see box). marriage would interfere with his work. He was so Beijerinck developed the principles of enrichment reclusive that he even refused to have his picture culture. Through these techniques, he and others could taken. After his father’s death, he lived in virtual more readily uncover the role of microorganisms in seclusion with his sisters, Henriette and Johanna, natural processes and better harness these activities to except for socializing with the chemist Van’t Hoff and benefit agriculture and industry. His unusual applica- his wife. tion of these principles made him perhaps the first Although Beijerinck retired in 1921, he never gave microbiologist to emphasize an ecological approach to up research. He died quietly on 1 January 1931 in microbiology. “In an experimental sense, the ecological Gorssel, The Netherlands. cl approach to microbiology consists of two complemen- tary phases which give rise to an endless number of experiments,” he noted. “On the one hand, it leads us to investigate the conditions for the development of or- Suggested Reading ganisms that have for some reason or other, perhaps Van Iterson, G., L. E. den Dooren de Jong, and A. J. Kluyver. 1993. fortuitously, come to our attention; on the other hand, Martinus Willem Beijerinck, his life and work. A Publication to the discovery of living organisms that appear under Science Technology, Inc., Madison, Wis. predetermined conditions, either because they alone Van Niel, C. B. 1949. The “Delft School” and the rise of general microbiology. Bacterial. Rev. 13: 161-174. can develop, or because they are the more fit and win Waksman, S. A. 1931. Martinus Willem Beijerinck. Sci. Mon. 33:285- out over their competitors. Especially this latter 288. method, in reality nothing but the broadest application of the elective culture method, is fruitful and truly scientific, and it is no exaggeration to claim that the Acknowledgment rapid and surprising advances in general microbiology We thank Hubert A. Lechevalier for his kind help with the are due to this methodology.” manuscript.

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