S.P.K. GUPTA

Feature Blank Page in the

Short Short History of Biotechnology

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the 1950s and 1960s the transfer RNA ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and the mechanisms behind amino acid activation. ‘Doctor Yellapragada SubbaRow Archives Online’ salutes the memory of Dr Hoagland. Its publication of the SubbaRow Papers of 1929-30 is not intended to challenge the credit due to Hoagland for his innovative work. It suspends judgment on the true significance of the papers now published online. The papers are based on the - born biochemist’s research at from 1929 to 1935, the years arguably the most productive of a scientific life that spanned 1923 to 1948. These unpublished papers will fill in that blank in his curriculum vitae. They are available on ‘Doctor Yellapragada SubbaRow Archives Online’ – a sub site of the six-year-old www.ysubbarow.info and can be accessed through the following link: http://www.ysubbarow.info/ Archive/scientist.php?sid=2. AS the birth of biotechnology by other workers because SubbaRow SubbaRow did the research under delayed because Dr was not allowed to publish them. The WYellapragada SubbaRow, of birth of biotechnology was to that extent the supervision of Dr Cyrus H Fiske, his co- fame, could not delayed. discoverer of phosphocreatine and ATP. publish his Harvard research at the turn With the posting on a new ‘Archives Dr Fiske underwent a personality change of the1930s? Online’ website of Dr SubbaRow’s after the duo did not get due This question has intrigued many a previously unpublished 80-year-old recognition for unravelling the energy scientist since the affirmation in 1965 by scientific papers, historians of science, molecules and would not permit the Nobel Laureate George H. Hitchings that especially biotechnology chroniclers, publication of their ‘joint work’. Dr Fiske his Harvard colleague isolated in that have the opportunity to check the said he would write up the seven or eight period several phosphorus compounds affirmation of Dr Hitchings. phosphorus compounds that SubbaRow that were in all probability nucleotides Dr Mahlon Hoagland (1921-2009) is isolated in a single work to be titled involved in the synthesis of RNA and that presently credited with building the ‘Phosphorus Compounds’. He never got these had to be rediscovered years later foundation of genetics by discovering in around to it. 23 SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2011 Short Feature

Subba Row did the research under the supervision of Dr Cyrus H Fiske, his co-discoverer of phosphocreatine and

ATP. ○○○○

Dr Fiske ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

underwent a Department of the Harvard Medical personality School of the period 1930-35.

change after the SubbaRow moved on to his duo did not get independent research on vitamins of the B Complex, and left Harvard for Lederle due recognition Laboratories where he directed teams for unravelling of young American scientists and technicians to bring out folic acid, the energy antifolic cancer drugs, tetracycline molecules and antibiotics and DEC, the drug the WHO has deployed the world over for the would not elimination of filariasis. The six unpublished journal articles permit the on phosphorus compounds were found publication of among Dr SubbaRow’s papers after his death in 1948 and have been kept in their ‘joint Lederle Archives near Pearl River, New

work’. York State, USA. Microfilm copies were ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ given in 1965 to the author to help write Dr SubbaRow’s biography, which was published under the title In Quest of In an undated (presumably in the “In the course of this work, micro- Panacea by Evelyn Publishers in 1987. year 1931) draft note to his application methods were worked out (for the): The author could not get the help of to a research funding committee, I. Estimation of Purine N in a biochemists to evaluate the papers for SubbaRow wrote: “From the fall of 1929 I concentration of O.1 mg of N. want of funds to print out the microfilms. was working on Phosphorus compounds II. Separation of pyramidines on a The microfilms were finally digitised a of the organs, spleen, liver, pancreas micro scale 0.1 mg of N per cc. couple of years ago by the Indira and kidney. Now there are 7 or 8 III. Estimation of P in high-molecular Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNAC) compounds on hand in a fairly pure form weight compounds as proteins by and have now been put on the Internet. and the whole of next year I will spend oxidation with Potassium per sulphate. Dr SubbaRow’s laboratory on identifying them. That will complete IV. Synthesis of Mono-phospho- notebooks on which the papers are about 90% of the Phosphorus of the glyceric acids. based are presumably available still in organs, hoping that all would go all the archives of the Harvard Medical right…” “Of course these papers will not be School, , Massachusetts, USA. The Only a study by biochemists of the microfilms given to the author are now separately published but will be papers presented in the website would with the Nehru Memorial Museum and incorporated in the work, Phosphorus show whether SubbaRow could continue Library. this line of research and identify the Compounds.” compounds he isolated. But the data presented in the papers appear to be It is not clear if Dr SubbaRow worked Mr S.P.K. Gupta was foreign editor of Press adequate for identifying them. There is a on identifying the chemicals he isolated Trust of India from 1988 to 1991. Ph.: 91-11- view however that the data should be before he moved on to his vitamins hunt. 2656-9703. Address: Ella’s Cottage, B-108 reconfirmed by a fresh conduct of If he did, a search will have to be made Gulmohar Park, New Delhi 110049, India; Email: research outlined in the papers. of the archives of the [email protected]. SCIENCE REPORTER, OCTOBER 2011 24