Extending the Frontiers of Science

Summer SS PP EE CC TT RR AA 2000 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION Extending the Frontiers of Science

Above is the Carnegie Observatories’ official first-day envelope and cancellation for the Edwin P. Hubble commemorative stamps. The envelope features the young Hubble at the 100-inch Mount Wilson telescope.

INSIDE: New Board Members ...... 2 Fruit Fly Genome Sequenced ...... 9 Signatures of Life—Carnegie Evening 2000 ...... 3 Algae at the Desert Lab? ...... 9 Honoring Hubble ...... 4 Watery Mars ...... 10 One Little Cell with Lots to Tell...... 5 New Reading...... 10 Magellan I Mirror Is In! ...... 8 Web Watch...... 16

Department of Department of Department of The Geophysical CASE/ Plant Biology Terrestrial Magnetism Embryology Observatories Laboratory First Light LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Carnegie has been in human diseases. This means that as environments. Ultimately all of this work the business of science scientists learn more about gene function in will help to improve the planet’s long-term for almost one hundred the fruit fly, they will learn more about habitability. years. When we reflect curing illnesses in people. Our fundamental understanding of on our history, we have Genetic research on the model organism matter, energy, and the principles on which to ask, “What have we Chlamydomonas reinhardtii at Plant Biology the universe operates is enhanced with accomplished?” is a similar case. Art Grossman’s career- research at the Observatories. Wendy For almost a century long work with this single-celled alga is Freedman’s role in determining the we have provided the revealing important insights into how plants expansion rate of the universe, and Luis world with countless acclimate to different environmental Ho’s investigations into black holes are Tom Urban discoveries and conditions. The payoff? Researchers will be examples. Practical results aside, what innovations—from able to develop food crops that can grow in could be more important? Barbara McClintock’s genetic breakthroughs a broader range of climates and keep up None of the science we do today was to Hubble’s discovery of our place in the with the needs of the world’s growing envisioned a hundred years ago. Nor can we universe. These examples and others have population. imagine what the next hundred years will be profoundly influenced everyday lives. Scientists from three Carnegie depart- like. But we do know that Carnegie’s Carnegie’s recent achievements in areas ments—Terrestrial Magnetism, Plant achievements today and tomorrow will such as genetics, planetary and earth Biology, and the Geophysical Lab—continue continue to provide the foundations on science, and astronomy illustrate how our to help us understand more about the Earth. which future generations will build to institution continues to make society better. DTM’s director, Sean Solomon, for instance, improve the world that they inherit from us. In March, the Drosophila genome was unravels the mysteries of our sister planets, officially sequenced. Embryology’s director, providing insights into Earth’s evolution. Allan Spradling, and former Staff Member Chris Field and Joe Berry at Plant Biology Gerald Rubin were pivotal in initiating this investigate the human role in environmental work, which began almost a decade ago. change on our own planet. At GL, Marilyn The project has yielded 177 genetic Fogel studies biological and geological counterparts for genes that are linked to processes in the Earth’s past and present Tom Urban

CARNEGIE INSTITUTION NEW MEMBERS JOIN THE BOARD OF W ASHINGTON

1530 P Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005-1910 Former Embryology Staff Member Steven McKnight was (202) 387-6400 elected to the board of trustees at the May meeting in Web site: http://www.ciw.edu Washington, D.C. McKnight joins Daniel Belin as the Maxine F. Singer, President newest Carnegie board members. Daniel Belin, who was Augustus Oemler, Jr., Director, elected to the board in December, is a founding partner of The Observatories Wesley T. Huntress, Jr., Director, the Los Angeles law firm Belin Rawlings & Badal. He is a Geophysical Laboratory trustee of the Ahmanson Foundation, the Samuel H. Kress Sean C. Solomon, Director, Foundation, and serves on a variety of other boards and Department of Terrestrial visiting committees. Magnetism Christopher Somerville, Director, Steven McKnight has been affiliated with Carnegie for many Department of Plant Biology years. He came to the Department of Embryology as a staff Allan C. Spradling, Director, associate in 1979 and left as a Staff Member in 1992 to cofound Department of Embryology Tularik, Inc. At present, he is the chairman of the Department of John J. Lively, Director, Adminis- tration and Finance Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He holds the Susanne Garvey, Director, External Sam G. Winstead and F. Andrew Bell Distinguished Chair, and Affairs the Distinguished Chair in Basic Biomedical Research. Tina McDowell, Editor Ellen Carpenter, Assistant Editor and Designer

2 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ Signatures of Life—Carnegie Evening 2000

arilyn Fogel, a Staff MMember at the Geophysi- cal Lab, was this year’s Carnegie Left: Trustee Tom Cori and Marilyn Fogel Evening speaker. Her visually enjoy a moment after the lecture. appealing, fast-moving lecture was sprinkled with stories about what it is really like to collect data in the field. Fogel discussed her work Below: After a day of detecting “signatures of life” on board business, Earth and explained how her trustees Richard methods can be applied to the Right: More than 350 guests Meserve (left), Robert filled the administration Goelet (middle), and search for life on extraterrestrial building for Carnegie Tom Cori (right) get a bodies. Evening on May 4. chance to relax. Fogel’s research blends the fields of biology, chemistry, and geology. She described how she uses isotopes varied as the nature of of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen to the first microorgan- understand the biological and isms on our planet, and the landscape geological processes in Earth’s past and climate of ancient Australia. Fogel and present environments. She also talked about how she anticipates presented several examples to analyzing samples, such as those from illustrate how she applies her future missions to Mars, to hunt for techniques to trace phenomena as evidence of life elsewhere.

Daniel Belin

May 2000, Board of Trustees: First row, from left: Michael Gellert, Tom Urban (chairman), Maxine Singer (president), Suzanne Nora Johnson, David Swensen. Second row: Sandra Faber, Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr., Tom Cori, Burton McMurtry, Philip Abelson, Gary Ernst. Third row: John Diebold, Bruce Ferguson, David Greenewalt (secretary), Robert Goelet, Jaylee Mead, John Crawford, Christopher Stone, James Ebert, William Rutter, Frank Press. Not pictured: Euan Baird, Daniel Belin, William Coleman, Jr., William Golden, Steven McKnight William Hearst III, Kazuo Inamori, Gerald Laubach, Steven McKnight, John Macomber, Richard Meserve, and William I. M. Turner, Jr. (vice chairman).

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 3 arnegie astrono- the fantastic discover- Cmer Edwin P. ies on Mount Wilson Hubble revolutionized Honoring Hubble “made this city the our concept of the uni- world center of verse, compelled astronomy for most Einstein to revise his of the past century.” Theory of Relativity, Pointing to the and is the man for Observatories’ build- whom the Hubble ings, he continued, Space Telescope is “It was in those named. The U. S. Postal offices, constructed in Service honored the 1912 in the middle of man and the telescope farmland, citrus on April 10 by issuing groves, and vine- five commemorative yards that the foun- stamps. Two first-day-of-issue cer- vatories, welcomed the audience. dations of the grand picture of emonies were held: one on the Speaking about about Hubble’s cosmology originated.” Observatories’ campus in Pasa- life and accomplishments, he The parallel celebration, at dena, California, where Hubble said, “Edwin Hubble is recog- NASA Goddard Space Flight was a staff member from 1919 un- nized as the greatest astronomer Center, was also cohosted by til his death in 1953, and the since Galileo and is certainly the the U.S. Postal Service. other at the NASA Goddard most influential astronomer that Carnegie president Maxine Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, this nation has produced.” Singer, NASA director Daniel Maryland. Oemler, Allan Sandage, and Goldin, and Space Telescope Robert Mysel, postmaster of Steven Hawley, an astronomer Science Institute director Steve Pasadena, presided over the and astronaut from the NASA Beckwith unveiled the stamps. California ceremony, which was Johnson Space Flight Center, In a talk later that day at attended by more than 200 then unveiled the stamps. Goddard, Carnegie’s Alan guests, six TV stations, two Allan Sandage took the po- Dressler noted that “the HST is radio stations, and several dium next. He referred to the continuing Edwin Hubble’s newspaper reporters. Gus Observatories as “the best-kept own work of measuring the Oemler, director of the Obser- secret in Pasadena,” and said that expansion rate of the universe.”

It’s “thumbs up” for the formal unveiling of the Hubble The East Coast event for the first day of issue was held at stamps in Pasadena. Astronaut Steven Hawley (left), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. From left Observatories’ director Gus Oemler, and Edwin Hubble’s to right: NASA administrator Daniel Goldin, Carnegie successor Allan Sandage (right) participate in the president Maxine Singer, and Postmaster General William ceremony. Photo: Courtesy Michael Jones, U.S. Postal Henderson. Service.

4 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ One Little Cell with Lots to Tell

o understand how plants (a fixed carbon source that can serve tion. Researchers can therefore replace acclimate to a changing as its energy supply); at 10 microns it an existing gene on the chloroplast ge- Tenvironment, Arthur is large enough to see microscopically; nome with one that has been altered or Grossman studies simple, single-celled it reproduces quickly; it can be stored mutated in algae—a group of organisms he has for long periods; and it is a haploid vitro. The investigated throughout his career. organism with each cell containing a phenotype, Researchers in Grossman’s lab at the single copy of the nuclear genome. or observ- Department of Plant Biology are This last characteristic makes it good able charac- trying to identify the genes and for generating mutants and for teristics of understand genetic processes that performing classical genetic analyses. the strain allow plants to sense and react to their Chlamy is a single-celled organism for which a dynamic environment. They are that can be maintained in culture chloroplast particularly interested in the details of under highly defined conditions. It is gene has how plants respond to different therefore better for certain types of been al- Arthur Grossman is shown nutrient levels and light conditions. studies than vascular plants because tered, pro- here in his lab. This research has important implica- the analyses are not complicated by vides impor- tions for agriculture: developing an multiple tissue types, such as roots and tant clues concerning the function of understanding of how plants acclimate shoots, that are exposed to different that gene in the alga (for example, elimi- to different light and nutrient condi- environments. Furthermore, Chlamy nation or modification of any of a num- tions will help researchers engineer can grow by feeding directly on a ber of chloroplast genes alters the abil- crops to prosper in a broader range of fixed carbon source without light, ity of the organism to perform photo- environments. It is also helping to whereas vascular plants need photosynthesis). Chlamy is also ideal for clas- build a body of knowledge on the synthetic carbon fixation to survive. sical genetic crosses; it takes only 10 to evolution of biological processes in Because of this feature, it is much 14 days to perform a cross and to char- plants. easier to create viable mutants that acterize the phenotypes of the progeny. The mustard plant Arabidopsis is affect photosynthetic processes in the In Arabidopsis the same analysis can take one of the model organisms that alga. months. researchers in the Grossman lab have used, but increasingly the investigators have focused on algae. They primarily Important parts Markers help locate genes examine the green alga Chlamydomo- nas reinhardtii, and a variety of “blue- There are several critical, function- Many mutations of Chlamy’s green algae,” more properly called ally distinct compartments in plant cells. nuclear genome have been obtained cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are Among them is the nucleus, which is the by treating the organism with chemi- actually photosynthetic bacteria that control center of the cell; the mitochon- cals or UV light. This treatment contain all of the machinery necessary drion, where energy is extracted from generates small changes in the for photosynthesis; much of this food in a process called respiration; and genome that are not easy to locate. machinery is similar to that of vascular the chloroplast, where the plant absorbs However, there are now a number of plants. and converts the energy from the sun both physical and genetic markers on to glucose for nourishment. These com- the Chlamy genome that are enabling partments all have their own genomes. researchers to find and identify the Why algae? Genes that have been isolated and char- mutated gene sequences. The markers acterized can be introduced into any of are of several types. They can be Although algae are the simplest of these three compartments in Chlamy. individual genes associated with a plants, green algae, such as Chlamy- As in vascular plants, integration of particular observable characteristic or domonas reinhardtii, contain all of the genes into the Chlamy nuclear genome phenotype, physical features associ- same pigments in essentially the same is random, which means that the intro- ated with a DNA sequence, or both. proportions as vascular plants, their duced genes cannot be inserted into a The markers are located at specific more complicated cousins. In fact, consistent location on the chromo- locations on the Chlamy chromo- green algae are thought to be the somes. However, Chlamy is unique with somes and are powerful landmarks for evolutionary precursors to vascular respect to vascular plants in that genes mapping a gene to a unique region of plants. Chlamy, as this alga is affec- can be readily integrated into both the the chromosome and for identifying tionately called, is ideal for nutritional mitochondrial and the chloroplast ge- lesions in genes that cause particular and photosynthetic studies because it nomes. The integration of DNA into the mutant phenotypes. is simple and cheap to grow; it can be chloroplast genome, where much of the grown photosynthetically in the light, machinery for photosynthesis is en- ➤ or in the dark by feeding it on acetate coded, is by homologous recombina-

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 5 One Litt

THE PHOTOSYNTHESIS ENGINE Finding out what a gene does Chlamy has served as the classic model for studies of photo- The process to determine what a synthesis, a process primarily gene does can be tedious. Sometimes performed within chloroplasts. a gene’s function can be inferred from Chlorophyll, the pervasive green the similarity it has to genes in other organisms that have already been pigment in plants, as well as the characterized. However, to begin to These images show what happens during phosphorus starvation in orange and yellow pigmented understand the activity encoded by a carotenoids, are located in this Chlamydomonas. To monitor the gene and the precise biological level of the protein Psr1—a organelle. Most of the chloro- process in which that activity func- regulator of some of the responses phylls and carotenoids are associ- tions, it is critical to generate muta- to phosphorus starvation—the ated in structures called light- tions and compare mutated organisms researchers quantified and localized with wild-type, or normal, organisms. Psr1 after the cells were exposed to harvesting complexes. These different conditions. The red This analysis may reveal differences structures consist of subunits of fluorescence indicates the presence between the mutants with respect to of DNA and marks the nucleus (left) proteins, molecules of chlorophyll, morphology, development, or various of phosphorus-starved cells. The and molecules of carotenoids that biochemical processes. presence of Psr1 in these same are all embedded in a lipid ma- nuclei was determined by an trix. The pigments in these light- harvesting complexes absorb or Getting DNA into a single- trap certain wavelengths of light celled alga and transfer that light, or excita- Making mutants tion energy, to specialized chloro- There are three main methods of phyll molecules in the photosyn- introducing DNA into cyanobacteria In some organisms, including many thetic reaction centers; these and green algae, and they are all used cyanobacteria, it is relatively easy to in the Grossman lab: glass bead reaction centers are the foci for generate mutants by “knockout” transformation, electroporation, and strategies. The generation of knockout the primary photochemistry that the biolistic procedure. Glass bead mutations involves the specific drives photosynthesis. The ener- transformation works well for a strain replacement of the original, normal gized chlorophylls within these of Chlamy that lacks a cell wall. The copy of the gene with a copy that has centers pass high-energy electrons algal cells are submerged in a solution been altered and no longer performs to acceptor molecules. This containing the DNA and finely its normal function. In many cases a initiates a series of reduction (the ground glass beads. The suspension is specially engineered drug-resistant vigorously mixed with a device called gain of an electron) and oxidation cassette, for example one resistant to a vortex for 30 seconds. The glass spectinomycin, can be placed into the (the loss of an electron) reactions beads apparently abrade the cells and middle of an isolated gene of interest. that eventually lead to the produc- generate transient gaps in the cell The gene disrupted by the cassette tion of sugars that fuel metabolic membrane through which the DNA can be introduced into wild-type processes in plants and, ulti- can enter. In electroporation, the cyanobacterial cells, where it will mately, the animals that eat them. algae are submerged in a low-salt exchange with the normal copy of the solution containing the DNA. An The carotenoids associated with gene. Strains harboring the inter- electrical current is discharged that rupted version of the gene are readily the light-harvesting complexes are opens the cytoplasmic membranes of identified as being drug resistant also extremely important for the the cell, allowing the DNA to perme- because they don’t die in the presence dissipation of excitation energy ate. This procedure has been used of spectinomycin. Since the normal when the plant is absorbing more with both Chlamy and cyanobacteria. function of the gene has also been than it can use for photosynthesis. The biolistic procedure involves inactivated in these strains, the (The absorption of excess light bombarding the algae with scientists analyze the mutated organ- micropellets coated with DNA. All of energy by plants can lead to the ism for features that differ from those these methods can be used both to of wild-type cells. production of potentially toxic generate mutants and to identify reactive oxygen species.) genes that have been altered in the mutant strains.

6 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ tle Cell...

phycobilisome degradation during Locating the starvation- nutrient limitation. It also controls response genes other cellular processes that are critical for the survival of cells during nutrient limitation. The NblS protein To understand the details of what appears to regulate the activity of happens during nutrient starvation, NblR and is hypothesized to be the the scientists first mutated normal cells molecule that integrates information with a chemical mutagen. This created provided by a variety of environmen- random base changes in the genomic tal signals; it tunes cellular metabolism immunological stain and is indicated DNA, generating populations of by green fluorescence (middle). The and growth to the information pro- mutant cells. The mutants were yellow represents an overlap of vided by environmental signals. Psr1 fluorescence (green) with screened for those that specifically Interestingly, NblS contains a domain fluorescence from nuclei (red) looked blue-green following nutrient that binds a pigment called a flavin. (right). These results show that Psr1 limitation, indicating they were unable The flavin can serve as a redox is a protein that specifically localizes to degrade their light-harvesting molecule that can both accept and to the nucleus. When similar complex. The single base changes experiments were performed with donate electrons; it can also absorb cells that were not starved for often caused by the chemical mu- blue and UV-A light. During all phosphorus, very little Psr1 was tagens are too small to find easily, so nutrient stress conditions the redox observed. The level of the Psr1 the scientists identified the mutated state of the cell is elevated and NblS protein goes up at least 10 fold genes by a process called complemen- may be able to quantify cellular redox during phosphorus deprivation. tation. In this process, the researchers through the bound flavin. The redox placed a library of pieces of genomic state of the flavin may then modulate DNA from normal cells into a plasmid the activity of a group of transcription vector (a carrier molecule containing a factors—genes that control the expres- Responding to starvation genetic marker) and then introduced sion of other genes—that are involved the material into the mutant strains. in regulating metabolic processes. The plasmid, plus normal NblS also appears to control a number Grossman wants to understand cyanobacterial DNA, recombines into what genes and processes are active in of genes whose activity is controlled specific locations in the genomic by the light environment. Many of the photosynthetic organisms that allow DNA. The researchers visually them to sense nutrient levels and genes encoding proteins of the identified those strains that exhibited photosynthetic apparatus are con- acclimate to nutrient-deficient condi- normal bleaching during nutrient tions. When cyanobacteria are starved trolled by blue/UV-A light (which is limitation, and then isolated and often a signal for high light in the for a specific nutrient, the organism characterized the genes of interest by synthesizes systems to help scavenge environment). The blue/UV-A light locating the plasmid marker in the signal appears to be communicated to for the limiting nutrient more effi- genome. ciently. The organism also undergoes the transcriptional apparatus of the a more general response: cells stop cell through NblS. Therefore, NblS growing, the light-harvesting complex How the genes function functions as a global cell regulator that is degraded, and photosynthetic uses the redox state and the light electron transport shuts down. It is environment as an indicator of the In this manner, the researchers essential that the cell eliminate most cell’s potential for growth and then identified four genes involved in photosynthetic electron transport tunes photosynthesis and probably modifying the photosynthetic appara- during nutrient limitation. If the other metabolic processes accordingly. tus during nutrient stress. Two of the system were not shut down, it would These studies in Grossman’s lab genes isolated encode proteins that produce reactive oxygen species, raise a lot of questions about how a are directly involved in the destruc- which could burn up the cell. The variety of environmental cues are tion of phycobilisomes—the major redox state of the cell would also fused into a single cue that is repre- light-harvesting complex of increase, which could adversely affect sented by redox and, possibly, the cyanobacteria. The remaining two metabolic control. With the degrada- level of reactive oxygen radicals in the genes encode regulatory proteins that tion of the light-harvesting complex cell. This work also suggests that have been designated NblR during nutrient limitation, the cells redox components involved in (nonbleaching regulator) and NblS look yellow or bleached instead of electron transfer reactions have (for nonbleaching sensor). NblR is a blue-green. evolved into both regulatory mol- DNA-binding protein and is critical ecules and photoreceptors. for activating specific genes that encode proteins that function in continued on page 11

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 7 IT’S IN! April 30, 2000

Dear colleagues:

I’m pleased to announce that the raised, the shipping frame was rolled summer the mirror will be taken out Magellan I 6.5-meter primary mirror out of the way, and the telescope of the telescope and coated in its has been successfully installed in the cell was positioned below the mirror. cell. At that time we will install the mirror cell. The procedure took The process of lowering the mirror primary mirror thermal-control place on Wednesday and system. Thursday of last week in the The crew is currently Magellan coatings facility (the engaged in installing and “auxiliary” building). aligning the primary mirror The installation team supports. This work will take consisted of Magellan Project much of May to complete. and LCO staff assisted by During this time the second- Steve Warner from the Uni- ary mirror will be reinstalled versity of Arizona. Nineteen in the telescope and the people were involved, includ- telescope optical support ing the safety officer and the structure will be balanced. photographer. Before starting, The secondary and tertiary a detailed procedure was mirrors were aluminized reviewed and discussed ahead previously. The initial align- of time with the team. ment of the optics will be The lift started at 7:30 The mirror is suspended over the mirror cell Thursday morning. First, as Matt Johns (left) and Frank Perez (on the ladder) look on. Warner dressed out the one defect in the back surface found earlier by Frank Perez. The into the cell was tedious but mirror was picked off the shipping was accomplished without frame with the vacuum lift fixture. major drama, as the Chileans Once the mirror was in the air there say. The bolts that hold the was no stopping until it was in the mirror in the telescope were cell. installed, and the mirror was An inspection with the mirror set down on the static raised revealed no additional defects supports. The lift fixture was in areas that were inaccessible when detached at 4:00 p.m., the mirror was in the shipping completing the installation. container. Once the mirror was On Friday, the primary mirror and cell were driven Magellan Project scientist Steve Shectman (left) into the enclosure and in- and Las Campanas director Miguel Roth Steve Warner (left) from the University of stalled in the telescope (bottom) assist as Frank Perez takes the final Arizona Steward Mirror Lab and Carnegie’s along with the tertiary bits of coating off the surface. Frank Perez take off the protective coating that mirror assembly. We had has shielded the glass since it left Arizona. some minor difficulty attaching the tertiary support accomplished with alignment base but in the end we telescopes and fixtures specially prevailed. The mirror is now designed for this purpose. safely installed in the tele- There is still a tremendous scope and is protected by the amount of work left to be done to mirror covers. make the telescope truly ready for The primary mirror will be observing, but this last week marked tested initially without its a major milestone in that process. aluminum coating. The On behalf of the Magellan team, reflection off the bare glass will be enough to see bright objects. When the aluminiz- Matt Johns, Magellan Project ing chamber is ready later this Manager

8 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ Fruit Fly Genome Sequencing Algae at the Project Has Deep Roots Desert Lab?

at Carnegie he Department of Plant Biology Thas a long history of research into he completed sequence study genes of complex photosynthesis using algae as a model Tof the Drosophila ge- multicellular organisms organism. In 1916, Staff Member Herman nome was published in the directly for the first time. Spoehr began Carnegie’s first systematic March 24, 2000, issue of Spradling and Rubin’s P- study of photosynthesis, using a cactus as Science. The fruit fly has about element experiments also his model organism. But by the 1930s, 13,600 genes, 99% of which spawned the creation of algae, particularly the green algae Chlorella, was widely employed. The Desert now have been mapped. Two transgenic flies and the Laboratory used Chlorella for research of the players on the team of unprecedented manipulation because it grows rapidly and easily, and scientists and engineers who of the Drosophila genome, tolerates variation in conditions such as decoded the genome are which opened the door to light and temperature. Embryology’s director (and the development of a new, Research Associate Robert Emerson Howard Hughes Medical powerful gene-manipulation initiated a study in 1937 to determine how much light is really needed in the photo- Institute [HHMI] investigator) technology. synthetic process. He embarked on a Allan Spradling and former Now that the structures of three-year study using Chlorella, which Embryology Staff Member the genes have been yielded significant results. Emerson noted Gerald Rubin. Rubin, now at mapped, the genome project that by illuminating the plant first with the University of California- will concentrate on deter- blue, then with red light, and then with Berkeley, is vice president of mining how the genes blue and red light simultaneously, there was a severe drop in photosynthetic HHMI and leader of the function. Indispensable tools efficiency at the far-red wavelengths. He genome project. Nine years in this task are fly strains determined that the photosynthetic rate in ago, the pair launched the bearing a mutation in just far-red light could be enhanced by sequencing as one component one of the genes. In 1988, supplemental light from shorter wave- of the Drosophila genome effort. Spradling’s group developed lengths—a phenomenon later called the But their history as collabora- a way to generate particu- Emerson enhancement effect. This seemed to suggest that two separate pigment tors goes back even further. larly useful mutants using P- systems were at work, absorbing light In 1981, Spradling and elements. By creating strains preferentially at different wavelengths. Rubin (then both Staff Mem- containing only one P- This discovery was an important step to bers at the Department of element at a random site, the later recognition of two distinct Embryology) made a the group could study the photoreactions in plant photosynthesis. groundbreaking discovery—a effects on the fly caused by An offshoot of the photosynthesis research at the department occurred in the new method of gene transfer. disrupting just one easily late 1940s and early 1950s with experi- They showed that an external recognizable place in the mental studies of Chlorella as a food source. gene could be successfully genome (usually affecting In Japan at this time, scientists were also inserted and expressed in the only one gene). The genome studying the possibility of using algae as fruit fly’s germ cells—cells that project adopted this method food, and Carnegie hosted visiting give rise to gametes. Spradling from the outset, and the investigators to collaborate on the venture. The goal of this program was to enhance and Rubin’s experiments used project has already mutated the protein content of algae by manipulat- transposable elements: the more than a thousand ing environmental factors. In 1951, the phenomena discovered by different genes. department purposefully stopped experi- Carnegie geneticist Barbara Now that the sequencing ments on the nature of photosynthesis to McClintock, in which genes is complete, the Spradling concentrate on the technical development seem to jump within or be- and Rubin groups, with of algal cultures for food. CIW and the Carnegie Corporation paid a contracting tween chromosomes. They several additional collabora- firm to build and operate a Chlorella- used this feature to “ferry” tors, plan to redouble their producing pilot plant in Massachusetts. sequences of DNA called P- efforts on the gene-disrup- However, the operation was troubled by elements into embryos. This tion project. They expect contamination in the algae growth tanks method allowed scientists to their work to be nearly and was soon abandoned. finished within three years. Chlorella is no longer used as a model organism for photosynthesis because it does not reproduce sexually and therefore isn’t appropriate for today’s advanced Image courtesy of Carolina Biological Supply Company genetic research.

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 9 New evidence suggests there may have been more water on Mars than was previously thought

Gravity measurements from the Mars Global Surveyor The scientists found low-density regions that appear to be a (MGS) indicate that more water may have flowed on the Red series of sediment-filled elongated channels, similar to ancient Planet than was previously thought. Sean C. Solomon, riverbeds on Earth. These Martian channels lead from the director of DTM, and former DTM postdoctoral higher southern regions to the vast northern lowlands. associates Patrick McGovern and Catherine Although scientists have known about channels on Johnson are members of a team of geophysicists Mars for years, they didn’t realize how large they who conducted a study on the internal struc- were until they probed below the surface with the ture of Mars. The results are published in the surveyor. The size of the subsurface structures— March 10, 2000, issue of Science. more than 200 km wide, thousands of km The team used the MGS satellite, long, and 1 to 3 km deep—suggests that at one orbiting the planet since 1997, to map the time in the past Mars may have had enough structure of the crust and upper mantle. As water to fill the lowland region with an ocean. the surveyor orbits Mars, its speed varies If so, the water that carved the channels may because the difference in surface density have carried substantial sediments that over affects the planet’s gravitational tug on the millions of years completely buried those craft. This speed variation creates an apparent portions of the fluvial record at the lowest shift in the frequency of the radio transmission elevations. These observations add to the growing back to Earth—a Doppler shift—which in turn was body of evidence that early in its history Mars was used to infer the subsurface density. much more similar to the Earth than it is today.

Image courtesy of NASA

N EW READING

Louis Brown, A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives (Bristol and Philadelphia: Institute of Physics Publishing), 1999, 563 pp.

To prove the truth of the old adage about World War II, “The bomb may have ended the war but radar won it,” Louis Brown, Emeritus Staff Member at the Department of Terrestrial Magne- tism, wrote A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives. Brown began this work because he himself wanted to read a book about the development of radar, but found that there were none. He was “struck by the absence of a comprehensive and international history of radar, of the kind that has appeared many times about the atomic bomb.” Brown’s book interweaves a history of the technologies necessary for radar development with a description of the international theaters of war and the personalities of the scientists and engineers involved. To illustrate the link between war and science, he looks at military campaigns from the aspect of their use of radar. The book’s introduction alerts the reader to the technical sections so that one can choose to enjoy the story with or without the technical details. As a result, the book will appeal to the technically-savvy and the layperson alike.

David F. Swensen, Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment (New York: The Free Press), 2000, 366 pp.

Carnegie Institution trustee David Swensen is the author of a new book, Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment. Swensen, chair of Carnegie’s board of trustees Finance Committee, draws on his 15 years of experience as Yale University’s chief investment officer to discuss investment strategies. “Establishing and maintaining an unconventional investment portfolio carries a wide range of risks,” he notes. With this in mind, he explains how to successfully design and implement alterna- tive investment policies for institutions and universities.

10 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ One Little Cell... continued from page 7 used for photosynthesis. For a number integral to the photosynthetic mem- of years, Olle Björkman’s laboratory branes. The exact role of the HliA at Plant Biology examined the ways in proteins in high-light survival is not which plants dissipate this excess known, although they may be in- Sensing light absorbed light energy. An oxygenated volved in energy dissipation or in carotenoid pigment called zeaxanthin binding chlorophyll molecules and Photosynthetic, aquatic organisms appears to be involved in eliminating facilitating their integration into have to compete for light because of this excess excitation energy as heat. protein complexes of the photosyn- cloud cover, pollution, shade, and the The synthesis of zeaxanthin is el- thetic apparatus. absorption of certain wavelengths by evated in high light through the the water column. To be successful operation of the xanthophyll cycle—a light harvesters, many of these cycle in which the carotenoid pigment Understanding how and organisms sense their light environ- xanthophyll violaxanthin is converted why they move ment and adjust to varying light to other such pigments, conditions. Grossman’s lab has antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin. Cyanobacteria move in the water identified a photoreceptor, as well as Although zeaxanthin seems to be and in films on the surface of rocks to signal transduction elements, in involved in the energy dissipation, the chase the best light and nutrient cyanobacteria that tells the organism scientists do not know its exact mode conditions. Grossman wants to what wavelengths of light are avail- of action. understand what generates the forces able to use. The cells respond to the Recently, researchers examined the required for this movement, define signal by adjusting the composition of problem of energy dissipation in environmental factors that control the pigment-proteins in their light- plants at the molecular level by motility, and identify the molecules harvesting structures to best absorb generating mutants of both Chlamy- responsible for linking light and available wavelengths. The photore- domonas and Arabidopsis that were nutrient cues to motor function. ceptor they identified is a protein unable to dissipate excess absorbed Normal cyanobacteria move toward a kinase (an enzyme involved in light energy. The scientists used a new unidirectional light source. Recent transferring a phosphate to another screen involving video imaging of the work in the Grossman laboratory has protein, which may alter the activity colonies to identify mutants defective demonstrated that this movement of that protein) with a chromophore- in energy dissipation. The results depends on hair-like structures called binding site that is similar to that of confirmed that the xanthophyll cycle pili that are distributed over the the phytochromes. Phytochromes are and zeaxanthin were critical for the surface of cyanobacteria. Both the photoreceptors of vascular plants that dissipation of excess absorbed energy, motility of cyanobacteria and the pili regulate a variety of physiological and suggested that other processes are shown on page 12. The Grossman processes. This work has important and other carotenoids might be laboratory has generated over 300 implications with respect to the involved. The investigators also mutant cyanobacteria that are either evolution of photoreceptors and the identified a protein component of the non-motile, do not respond to a way in which phytochrome translates energy-dissipating apparatus that is unidirectional light source, or move a light signal into the modulation of designated PsbS. This protein is backward with respect to the unidirec- the cells’ biochemical activities. thought to be an evolutionary precur- sor of the light-harvesting proteins of tional light source. By analyzing these plants. These results suggest that mutants, the researchers have identi- What happens with too energy dissipation within the photo- fied molecules that are involved in several processes including the much light synthetic apparatus arose prior to the establishment of large light-harvesting biosynthesis of pili, the generation of complexes. cell surface architecture, the regula- Other studies in the Grossman lab In cyanobacteria, there are small tion of motor function, and the address the potential toxic effects of polypeptides related to the light- sensing of light cues. One molecule light. Although light is necessary for harvesting proteins of vascular plants, that appears to be critical for forward photosynthesis, too much of it can which are critical for survival in high movement contains a domain that is lead to the production of reactive light. These proteins, called HliA similar to the chromophore-binding oxygen species, which can damage (high light induced), are synthesized at domain of phytochrome; it may many processes in the cell and result high levels when the cells are exposed function in orienting the cells with in death. During midday in California to high light or to blue or UV-A light. respect to the unidirectional light a plant may be absorbing five to 10 The HliA proteins appear to bind source. times the amount of light that can be pigment molecules and associate into macromolecular complexes that are ➤

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 11 One Little Cell...

Chlamy’s genome and NSF

Chlamydomonas is studied in more Chlamydomonas under a number of ciently probe the function and than a hundred labs worldwide. different environmental conditions regulation of gene products. Genomic Because this alga is an ideal model and in certain mutant strains, analyz- work performed under the auspices of organism for understanding photosyn- ing the function of every gene on the the Chlamydomonas Genome Project thetic mechanisms and the ways in chloroplast genome, and developing a will generate knowledge to fill the which organisms acclimate to their database that is accessible to the evolutionary gap that separates simple light and nutrient environments, NSF international scientific community. In prokaryotic cyanobacteria and the funded the first phase of the Chlamy- addition, the project will generate more complex vascular plants like domonas Genome Project in November hundreds to thousands of physical Arabidopsis and rice. It will deepen our of 1999. Art Grossman is the principal markers that will be placed on the understanding of the evolution of both investigator. The $3.3-million project Chlamydomonas genome. These specific genes and biological pro- includes the sequencing of cDNAs, markers will allow for the efficient cesses, providing strong insights into using high density DNA microarrays map-based cloning of genes, which in how we may tailor these processes to to examine global gene expression in turn will enable researchers to effi- specific environmental conditions.

These images show how normal and a non-motile, mutant cyanobacterium react to a unidirectional light source. For the normal cyanobacterium, groups of cells aggregate into finger- like projections that move toward the light (A). The mutant strain shows no movement (B). At higher magnification (~125x) of the normal cyanobacterium, individual cells in a single finger-like projection appear to aggregate at the tip of the projection (C). The mutant cyanobacterium (D), on the other hand, makes tight, non-spreading colonies. At even higher magnification (25,750x) in which individual cells are viewed, the normal cell (E) exhibits thin and thick pili on the cell surface; these structures generate the forces that allow the cyanobacterium to move. The non-motile mutant (F) has an over abundance of the thick pili on the surface of the cell, which in some way prevents it from moving.

12 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ In Brief...

TRUSTEES Astronomy, a committee chaired Halpern lab. Somerville participated in a by Carnegie trustee emeritus Doug Koshland was elected workshop at the Salk Institute to John Diebold’s entrepre- Charles Townes. Carnegie to membership in the American draft a 10-year plan for goals in neurial project completed a case trustee Sandra Faber was also a Academy of Arts and Sciences. plant genome research. The study of New York’s Silicon member of the committee. On Shikha Laloraya has taken a National Science Foundation has Alley. April 17, she presented the job as an assistant professor in incorporated the document, Mathematical and Physical the Department of Biochemistry, entitled “The 2010 Plan,” into its ADMINISTRATION Sciences Distinguished Lecture Indian Institute of Science, long-term research funding plan. in Astronomy at the National Bangalore, India. Transcripts of Chris Somerville’s Science Foundation, entitled On April 29, Sofia Robb, a lecture entitled “The scientific On April 30, Maxine Singer “Determination of the Hubble research assistant in the Sánchez basis of plant genetic engineer- was inducted into the Washing- Constant, for better or worse.” Alvarado lab, married Tom ing,” presented at a January ton, D.C. Hall of Fame for Wendy has been elected a Fellow Turlington. symposium in The Hague and “outstanding scientific accom- of the American Academy of Alejandro Sánchez organized by U.S. Ambassador plishments and deep concern for Arts and Sciences. Alvarado and Brigitte Galiot Cynthia Schneider on behalf of the societal responsibility of cochaired the the State Department, can be scientists in Washington, D.C.” session on found at http://www.usemb.nl/ At Bryn Mawr College, also in metazoan regenera- bioproc.htm. In February, Chris April, she delivered the 1999- Embryology’s Yixian tion at the Society presented a talk at Cornell U. 2000 Rothenberg Lecture in Zheng won a nationwide of Developmental entitled “The next phase of the Biology and Public Policy competition to be Biology’s 59th plant genome project.” In entitled “Catching Up.” She appointed a Howard annual meeting in March, Chris presented the delivered the 2000 Dael L. Hughes Medical Institute Boulder, Colo., in Lemieux Lecture, “Genetic Wolfle Lecture at U. Washing- Investigator. June 2000. He also dissection of plant lipid metabo- ton–Daniel J. Evans School of was an invited lism,” at U. Alberta. In April, he Public Affairs entitled “Science speaker at the IX presented the Thornton-Masa and the Public: Playing Catch- In March, Steve Shectman International Symposium on the Lecture, “The case for GMOs,” Up.” On May 11 she was the presented a paper summarizing Biology of Turbellarians in at Colorado State U. Finally, in keynote speaker for the the present status of the Barcelona, Spain, in June. May Chris presented a seminar Whitehead Institute’s Policy Magellan Project at the confer- On Thursday May 4, Daniel entitled “The rubber problem” at Symposium dinner and delivered ence “Astronomical Telescopes Barbosa Fraker was born to the Defense Research Agency in a talk on “Genes and Greens.” and Instrumentation 2000,” held Daniela Drummond-Barbosa Washington, D.C. On May 21 she was a speaker at in Munich, Germany. and Russell Norton Fraker. In April, Arthur Grossman Yale University’s Graduate Jason Prochaska attended Postdoctoral fellow Nicole presented two seminars at School of Arts and Sciences the SPIE conference in Munich Grieder has returned to the Indiana U.: “Integration of Commencement Convocation. and gave an invited talk on Biozentrum in Basel, Switzer- environmental signals in the Her speech was entitled chemical abundances in the land, where she will continue her acclimation of cyanobacteria” “Challenges Facing the Newly damped Lyalpha systems. studies of Drosophila oogenesis. and “The control of phosphorus Elite.” Andrew McWilliam gave deprivation responses in talks on the chemical composi- PLANT BIOLOGY Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.” OBSERVATORIES tion of the galactic bulge and Devaki Bhaya also presented a Sagittarius dwarf galaxy at Ohio Winslow Briggs presented a seminar at Indiana, “One small François Schweizer State U. and at U. Washington. seminar, “Phototropin: a step: motility in cyanobacteria.” attended an AURA Observato- Hubble Fellow Scott photoreceptor kinase mediating On April 17, Art gave a seminar ries Council meeting in La Trager’s topic was “The phototropism in higher plants,” at Paradigm Genetics, hosted by Serena, during which council timescale of galaxy formation: at the Stazione Zoologica, former staff member Neil members were shown the the stellar evidence” in invited Naples, and at the universities of Hoffman. Gemini South 8-m telescope lectures at the Institute for Rome, Lausanne, and Geneva. In February, Art Grossman under construction on Cerro Theoretical Physics, UC-Santa Winslow coorganized and spoke was granted U.S. Patent Pachon. He took the opportunity Barbara, U. Hawaii, U. Texas- at the Gordon-sponsored #6,027,900 for “Methods and to also visit Las Campanas and Austin, and UC-Irvine. Meeting on Photoreceptors and tools for transformation of see firsthand the rapid progress Signal Transduction held in Il eukaryotic algae.” Art was also on Magellan I and II. He helped EMBRYOLOGY Ciocco, Italy, April 30-May 5. awarded a $21,000 NSF bi- organize the ESO/CTIO/LCO In January, Chris national grant (with Daniel International Workshop, “Stars, In April, Don Vaulot in Roscoff, France) for his Gas and Dust in Galaxies,” held Brown chaired the proposal, “Analysis of in La Serena in March and the International conference “Gas and Galaxy Advisory Board to On May 9, the department Evolution” in honor of the 20th the Wellcome/CRC hosted a meeting of the Bay anniversary of the VLA, held in Institute in Cam- Area Biosystematics Working Socorro, N.M., in May 2000. bridge, U.K. group, organized by Brent In April, Wendy Freedman Marnie Halpern Mischler (UC-Berkeley) and gave an invited review at a coorganized the Cold Chris Somerville. In a brief meeting at the Space Telescope Spring Harbor overview, Brent explained Science Institute and at the zebrafish meeting that this meeting, started in Johnson Space Center. She also held in April 2000. the 1930s, has its historical gave colloquia at Stanford, The front page of the Berkeley, and Cornell, and sat roots with Carnegie’s March 15 Baltimore on the Caltech Visiting Commit- taxonomists and geneticists Sun featured an tee for Math, Physics, and during the time of Clausen, article about the Keck, and Hiesey.

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 13 In gene expression during acclima- astronomy included Alan Boss, Erik George Wetherill was the tion of cyanobacteria to stress departments this Hauri, Sean Solomon, George

Brief... recipient of the J. Lawrence conditions.” spring, where she Wetherill, and postdoctoral Jo-Man Wang, a technician Smith Medal and Prize of presented fellows Satoshi Inaba, Stephen in Shauna’s lab, and Yeu-Shyr the National Academy of colloquia and Kortenkamp, and Harri Wu welcomed their son, Aaron, Sciences, awarded at the visited with groups Vanhala. born April 11. May meeting. The award of faculty, Alan Boss, Sean Solomon, In March, Sarah Fisher recognizes recent original students, and George Wetherill, and joined the Somerville labs as a and meritorious women in science. postdoctoral fellow Kenneth lab technician. investigations in meteoritics. Former DTM Chick attended the First Annual Anne Krapp and Catherine postdoctoral Astrobiology conference, held at Mueller, Visiting Researchers fellows Linda NASA Ames, Moffett Field, in from U. Heidelberg, arrived for return to U. Frankfurt. Stryker and David Burstein are April. a month’s stay in March to Ken Keegstra left after now at ASU, where Burstein is Paul Silver gave an invited collaborate with Wolf Scheible. spending a three-month currently president of the talk at the annual meeting of the Mark Stitt (U. Heidelberg) sabbatical with Shauna university senate. In April, Seismological Society of America arrived in March for a five- Somerville. Pam Green left after Rubin addressed the National meeting in San Diego. month sabbatical to work with spending a six-week sabbatical. Science Teachers Association in On March 29, Paul Butler, Chris Somerville. Orlando on the subject “Con- Geoffrey Marcy (UC-Berkeley), Rogene Gillmor is working TERRESTRIAL necting to the Universe.” Penn and Steven Vogt (UC-Santa in the Somerville lab as a MAGNETISM State-Lehigh Valley campus Cruz) announced the first two volunteer. science faculty has named their sub-Saturn mass extrasolar Chris Henderson joined The academic award, to be presented planets at a NASA press Sean Solomon was elected a Arabidopsis Information annually, the Vera C. Rubin conference. Alan Boss also member of the National Resource group (TAIR) in Award for Excellence. Rubin was spoke at the event. The story was Academy of Sciences on May 2 March as an assistant program- the keynote speaker and carried in the New York Times, the at the 137th annual meeting of the mer. presented the first award to Washington Post, Science News, and academy. Election to member- Trevor Swartz (UC-Santa astronomy student Kevin on CNN. The discovery paper ship recognizes “distinguished Cruz) joined the Briggs lab as a Gordon. for this work has been accepted and continuing achievements in postdoctoral research associate In March, Alan Boss by the Astrophysical Journal Letters. original research.” He was one of to do spectroscopic studies on delivered the George C. Benson On April 21, Butler, Marcy, and 60 new members chosen. phototropin. Memorial Lecture, “Extrasolar Vogt announced planets around Former DTM research staff In April, Warren Nott joined planets,” at Miami U. (Oxford, two metal-rich stars. member Albrecht Hofmann the Field lab as a lab assistant, Ohio). In April, Boss reviewed In March, Paul Butler gave was inducted as a Foreign and Isabell Buttron (U. the role of magnetic fields in the annual invited popular talk at Associate at the NAS meeting. Freiburg) joined the Ehrhardt lab fragmentation at the IAU the New York Center for Studies Dr. Hofmann, one of 15 Foreign as a visiting researcher. Symposium 200: The Formation on the Origins of Life. In April, Associates elected to the Margaret Olney will be an of Binary Stars, held in Potsdam, he gave the astronomy collo- academy last year, is director of assistant professor in the biology Germany. Boss described science quium at U. Virginia and a the Max Planck Institute for department at Colorado College goals for NASA’s Terrestrial plenary talk at the American Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. this fall. Margaret will finish the Planet Finder (TPF) at the Ball Physical Society annual meeting. Erik Hauri received the summer at the Briggs lab to wrap Aerospace/TPF Science Team In May, he gave astronomy James B. Macelwane Medal from up her thesis work. Meeting, held at the Space colloquia at the CIW Observato- the American Geophysical Gundolf Kohlmaier, a Telescope Science Institute in ries and the Space Telescope Union at the Spring AGU visiting researcher in Chris Baltimore. Science Institute. Meeting. The medal “recognizes Field’s lab, left in February to Sean Solomon chaired the Jon Aurnou, a geophysical significant contribu- External Advisory Committee fluid dynamicist who received tions to the geophysi- for Geology and Geophysics at his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins cal sciences by an Rice U. in March, and the Earth U., was appointed a postdoctoral outstanding young and Environmental Sciences associate in April. scientist (less than 36 Directorate Review Committee Jocelyn Bell Burnell was the years of age).” at Lawrence Livermore National Merle A. Tuve Senior Fellow at In April, Selwyn Laboratory in April. In May he DTM for the month of May. A Sacks and Alan delivered the first lecture in the radio astronomer and professor Linde visited the Discoveries of the 20th Century of physics at the Open Univer- Montserrat Volcano series at the Smithsonian sity, England, she is best known Observatory with Institution in celebration of the as the discoverer of the first Barry Voight (Penn 50th anniversary of the National radio pulsars, subsequently State). The objective Science Foundation. He also shown to be rapidly rotating was to determine the gave invited papers at the neutron stars. Dr. Bell Burnell feasibility of initiating General Assembly of the visited DTM the week of May 8. a collaborative European Geophysical Society in She gave the DTM seminar and program in which a April and at the Fourth Confer- participated in a number of small array of ence on the Low-Cost Planetary discussions with staff and Shown (from left) on May 3 at a Broad Branch borehole strainmeters Missions of the International postdocs during her stay. Road reception honoring Sean Solomon on his and seismometers Academy of Astronautics in Visiting Investigator Suzan would be installed on election to the National Academy of Sciences May. van der Lee arrived in May for the island. are NAS members Albrecht Hofmann and DTM attendees at the Lunar a month to work with David Vera Rubin visited Carnegie’s Ho-kwang Mao, George Wetherill, and Planetary Science Confer- James and Paul Silver on upper- the U. Illinois and Solomon, Vera Rubin, Hatten Yoder, Maxine ence in Houston in March mantle structure under South Singer, and Francis Boyd. Arizona State U.

14 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ America and southern Africa. A The DTM/GL Chemistry at High Pressure In former DTM postdoctoral fellow, library’s 1914- Symposium of the American she is now on the faculty at the era reading Chemical Society. He was the co- Brief... Institut für Geophysik, Zurich. room was convenor of the High Pressure Predoctoral Fellow Sue renovated this Neutron Scattering Workshop, Webb, from the U. winter. Among Argonne National Laboratory, in Witwatersrand, arrived in April the features April. In May, he gave an for a two-month visit. She is of the invited talk at the Verkin th continuing work begun last year renovation are furniture appropriate to the period, and historic Institute 40 -anniversary with David James on combining meeting in Kharkov, Ukraine. artifacts. The space serves as a pleasant setting for quiet study and southern African gravity, Charles Prewitt attended small meetings of researchers from both departments. magnetic, and seismic data sets the Experimental Mineralogy, as part of the Southern Africa Petrology, and Geochemistry the Broad Branch campus. and delivered the inaugural Seismic Experiment. Conference in Bergamo, Italy, Constance Bertka, Steve address, “Discoveries: a basis for LeAnn Nicole Bartholomew and presented an invited paper, Shirey (DTM), and Hattten new challenges,” to the academy was born on May 12 to machin- “Crystal chemistry of Ca/Sr Yoder led the students on a tour on May 9 in Washington, D.C. ist-instrument maker Richard metasilicates and of the facilities and spoke with Wes Huntress has been Bartholomew and his wife, metagermanates.” them about preparing for a teaching a graduate-level course Loretta. As a graduate of U. Chicago, career in science. on astrochemistry at the BBR Hatten Yoder received their George Cody presented campus. The course examines Professional Achievement Award DTM/GL invited talks at Penn State on chemical evolution from atoms for his distinguished record of biogeochemistry at nanoscales in the interstellar radiation field professional accomplishments Library Assistant Merri Wolf using soft x-ray microscopy, and to complex organic molecules and leadership, which have was elected to the board of at George Washington U. on and aggregates in the early solar reflected credit upon the directors of the Interlibrary geochemical roots of life. He also system. university and its alumni. Users Association in March. The presented a poster at the Wes Huntress and Marilyn GL’s Matthew Wooller and Association is a 50-member Astrobiology Conference at the Fogel were hosts to the Work- Marilyn Fogel, former fellows cooperative organization of NASA Ames Research Center. shop on Life Detection, held Sue Ziegler (U. Arkansas) and specialized libraries in the Gözen Erten (Georgetown April 25-26 at Carnegie’s Mark Teece (SUNY-ESF), and National Capital area. U. Medical Center) has been administration building. The th Visiting Investigators Noreen Two rare 17 -century star appointed a Visiting Investigator. workshop was sponsored by the Tuross (Smithsonian Inst.) and charts were presented to the Dr. Ertem will conduct research National Research Council and Diane O’Brien (Stanford U.) DTM-GL library by Vera Rubin with Bob Hazen on the selectiv- responds to NASA’s request for a presented papers on various in February. Prepared by the ity of asymmetric crystalline comprehensive and interactive aspects of ecological research at astronomer Johannes Hevelius of minerals towards chirality in workshop that updates new the 2nd Isotopes in Ecology Danzig in 1686, the charts are biological oligimers. techniques for detecting Meeting held in Braunschweig, prized for their beautifully Wes Huntress has been extraterrestrial organisms and Germany. All of their research engraved figures of the constella- elected to the board of directors their biosignatures. A dinner was conducted on GL’s new tions and their elaborate corner of the Association of Universities party was held at GL on April isotope mass spectrometer. decorations. Rubin also donated for Research in Astronomy, Inc. 25; many of the attendees toured Doug Rumble’s recent a biography of Hevelius (AURA) for a three-year term, the lab afterwards. Visiting Investigators are Hide containing a bibliography of his effective July 1, 2000, through Robert Hazen was the Masago (Tokyo Inst. Technol- published works. June 30, 2003. In April, Wes Humana Distinguished Visiting ogy), David Gorges (U. received the Federal Design Professor at Centre College in Lausanne), Uwe Wiechert (ETH- GEOPHYSICAL Achievement Award for the Danville, Ky., where he Zurich), and Being Change Mars Pathfinder Mission. This presented a series of five lectures LABORATORY (Chinese Academy of Geological award is given in recognition of on aspects of the origin and Sciences, Beijing). contribution to excellence in evolution of life. He presented In April, participants in the In April, Jie Li, Yingwei Fei, design for the federal govern- two keynote lectures at a National Junior Science and and Bill Minarik journeyed to ment. He has also been elected symposium at McPherson Humanities Symposium visited Kobe, Japan, to use the Spring-8 an academician in the Interna- College, Kans., on evolution and synchrotron facility. They were tional Academy of Astronautics creationism. Hazen also joined there by former GL presented seminars on minerals researchers Kei Hirose and and the origin of life at Stanford David James Mike Walter. The team U., U. Connecticut, the Learning (center), with managed to complete 10 in Retirement Institute of George technician Pat Ryan successful multianvil runs in a Mason U., and jointly to (left) and professor row within four 24-hour days. Carnegie’s Department of Douglas Toomey After the experiments, they were Embryology and Johns Hopkins (right) (U. Oregon), hosted at the home of Mike, Pru U. Foster (formerly at DTM), and examine seismic Russell Hemley gave talks at their son Dakota. Pru also works field data aboard Ohio State U., the Center for at Okayama U. the fishing boat, Solid State Sciences (Arizona Yangzhang Ma and his wife Golondrina, in the State U.), UC-Santa Cruz, and at Fengru Wu welcomed Darwin Galapagos Islands. the Max-Planck Institute, Bolun to their family, born Ryan, James, Toomey, and Kristen James (photographer) spent three Stuttgart. Hemley also attended a March 31. weeks in the Galapagos in late March and early April servicing the 10 meeting at the Institute for Study Carnegie broadband portable stations of the IGUANA Seismic of the Earth’s Interior in Misasa, Project in the Galapagos Islands. The project, of which professor Japan. In March, he gave an Toomey is PI, is a joint venture between the U. of Oregon and DTM. invited talk at the Physical

SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖ 15 ARNEGIE OW A Capital Science Lecture Series C N 2000-2001 TRIPLE-A INSTITUTION

The speakers for next season’s Capital Science Lecture Series are listed below. All lectures are on Tuesday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m. at the In April, Moody’s upgraded Carnegie’s long-term Carnegie Building, 1530 P St., N.W., Washington, D.C. debt rating from Aa1 to Aaa. Only six other not-for- October 3, 2000 Kenneth Nealson profits and 15 universities and colleges have attained California Institute of Technology this same high rating. The institution’s unrestricted Early life microbiology financial resources are more than 10 times greater than the debt, “a level surpassed by few organizations even October 24, 2000 R. Paul Butler $ Department of Terrestrial Magnetism in the Aaa category,” says Moody’s. Other reasons the Extrasolar planets rating was upgraded include insulation from the student market and other economic risks, and manageable November 28, 2000 Sallie Watson Chisholm future borrowing plans. Moody’s sees a bright future for Massachusetts Institute of Technology Phytoplankton and global change the institution, expecting it to continue “its powerful financial position indefinitely.”

January 30, 2001 Neta A. Bahcall Princeton University Cosmology CARNEGIE TO BRING THE NEW SCIENCE OF ASTROBIOLOGY TO CLASSROOMS WORLDWI DE February 27, 2001 Cindy Lee Van Dover The College of William & Mary As a part of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, CASE will launch Hydrothermal vent biology an interactive educational Web site dedicated to the new science of astrobiology—the study of how life originated and thrives on March 20, 2001 William T. Newsome Earth and how we may find it elsewhere. The site is geared to Howard Hughes Medical Institute and elementary and middle school teachers and students. The Stanford University Medical Center content, which will appear on the site over the next two years, Neuronal plasticity will be based on three themes drawn from astrobiology. The first theme will focus on Earth’s environments and chemistry and will April 17, 2001 S. George Philander lead Web surfers to the second theme—life in space. The third Princeton University theme will use the information from the other two segments to Why global warming is controversial determine what components and conditions are really needed for life to arise and thrive anywhere. The Web site will be available later this summer at www.ciw.edu/leaf. * Schedule subject to change Photo by Anice Hoachlander

WHERE TO WATCH PLANTS AT WORK

C ENTENNIAL NEWS David Ehrhardt at Plant Biology has unveiled a unique Web site where the dynamic processes in Planning for the Carnegie Centennial Exhibition is well under live plant cells can be viewed with the aid of time- way. This show, which will celebrate a century of Carnegie science by displaying a range of images and objects from the institution’s lapse imagery. This imaging is made possible by past, will be installed on the second floor of the administration introducing a green fluorescent gene from a jelly- building from December 2001 through May 2002. It will be open fish into Arabidopsis thaliana and viewing the to the public as well as to invited groups. results with confocal microscopy. To see the images We are planning a number of programs and lectures to of plants at work on the evolving site, go to http:// accompany this exhibition. While attracting visitors to the show, deepgreen.stanford.edu. these events will also provide opportunities to explore in greater depth various issues relating to Carnegie science—past, present, and future. YOU CAN HELP! Are you aware of any academic or The Carnegie Institution of Washington is committed to the national professional meetings scheduled to be held in D.C. during the policy of fair treatment of all employees in all aspects of employment. The time of the exhibition? We are eager to communicate with a range Institution does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, of audiences, including those without—as well as those with— color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, scientific training. If you know of such a group, please contact or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. This policy covers all Margee Hazen at [email protected]. programs, activities, and operations of the Institution, including administration of its educational program, admission of qualified students as fellows, and employment practices and procedures.

16 ❖ SUMMER 2000 ❖ SPECTRA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION ❖