Evening star., 1935-08-06
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Genes, the lowest units Of 'life," play
a double role in the development of
every living organism, according to re-
cent findings of the department of ge-
netics of the Carnegie Institution of
Washington.
Their traditional role is that of trans
mitting hereditary characters from par
ents to offspring-such as body form,
color of hair and eyes, etc. But, it is
shown by the experiments of DR.. H.
Demeric Of the Carnegie Institution
staff, they also take an active part in
the vital function of every cell in the
organism and that very slight gene
deficiency in any cell group will result
in its death.
acterS, DR.. Demeric believes, is actually
a secondary function, sort of by
product of those fundamental chemical
reactions of the genes which are re-
Sponsible for cell life itself. These
findings, he stresses, support the view
that genes are the lowest units among
living organisms and that the history of
evolution has been that of the accumu-
lation Of single genes and subsequent
differentiation among them.
Although the gene Is below the limits
of visibility, so that its size and COM
position can only be conjectured, the
Carnegie Institution biologists have gone
far during the past year in clearing
away some of the obscurities surround
ing this minute particle of living matter.
1t Is through study of the genes, DR..
Demeric believes, that eventually more
fundamental understanding of the still
mysterious mechanism of evolution can
be obtained.
Only through factors affecting the
genes, he points out, can hereditary
changes in the morphology of the body
be brought about Nature has pro-
tected them very effectively against very
profound or frequent changes.
Says Dr. Demeric: "A gene is minute
organic particle, probably a single large
molecule, possessing the power of repro
duction, which power is one of the main
characteristics of living matter. Changes
in genes may be visualized as changes
or arrangements within molecular
groups Of a gene molecule.
1T looks as If gene can stand slight
changes only. A more extensive change
destroys its reproductive power and
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whole complement of genes Of an Or
ganization constitutes balanced system
which determines the appearance and
nature of that organism. A majority of
the genes in a gene complex probably
functions in every cell. If any one Of
them is missing the disturbance pre-
duced in the system is fatal to the whole
organism and in many cases is even
highly detrimental to individual cells"
There is strong evidence supporting
the view that genes are the sole vehicles
of inheritance, according to the Car
negie Institution investigators. All the
characters which an individual derives
from his parents are potentially present
from the beginning. So variations In
transmitted characters can come about
only through changes that take place
in the genes themselves.
From this conception it follows that
the body structure results from the
action and interaction OF the genes
and that the function Of the body as a
whole, viewed genetically, is that of a
container which maintains and protects
these genes. Various agents In the
environment may AFFECT the containex,