ABSTRACT
George Wells Beadle and E. L. Tatum were cited for their discovery that genes act by regulating specific chemical processes, and J. Lederberg was honored for his detailed studies on the genetic crossing of bacteria. Beadle’s demonstration that genes affect heredity by determining enzyme structure helped lay the foundation for the field of biochemical genetics. To improve his understanding of the chemistry of gene function, Beadle took courses in physical chemistry and biochemistry, the latter given by James B. Sumner. Marion Beadle put aside her studies after her marriage and obtained a position as a research assistant in pomology. The highly stimulating environment at Caltech greatly helped Beadle’s career. Beadle was caught up in the excitement of Drosophila genetics at Caltech and started working with Dobzhansky, Emerson, and Sturtevant on genetic recombination. Beadle’s research activities were in full swing when World War II started. By 1941, the United States was at the height of its war “preparedness.”.
