Julius Marmur facts for kids

Julius Marmur (March 22, 1926 – May 20, 1996) was an American scientist who studied molecules in living things. He made very important discoveries about DNA. His work changed how scientists understood DNA and how they could work with it in the lab. His findings were a big step for creating recombinant DNA. This is when DNA from different sources is combined.

Discovering DNA's Secrets

While working at Harvard University, Julius Marmur made a key discovery. He found that DNA could be "unzipped" and then "re-zipped" back together. This process is called DNA hybridization. He also learned that how well DNA re-zipped depended on things like salt and the types of building blocks in the DNA.

How DNA Re-zips

Imagine DNA as a ladder that can split down the middle. Marmur found that after splitting, the two halves could find each other again and join back up. This was a big deal because it showed scientists how DNA could be taken apart and put back together. This ability to "re-zip" DNA was very important for future genetic research.

Proving the Discovery

Marmur and his team used DNA from bacteria to see how DNA strands joined back together. They used special methods to watch this happen.

• They looked at how DNA absorbed light at different temperatures.
• They used a machine called an ultracentrifuge to separate DNA based on its weight.
• They even used powerful electron microscopes to see the DNA directly.

They also did experiments where they heated DNA and then checked if it could still change bacterial cells. This further proved that DNA could be put back together after being heated.

Early Life and Education

Julius Marmur was born in Białystok, Poland, in 1926. He grew up in Canada. He earned his first degree from McGill University in 1946. He then received a master's degree from McGill. Later, he earned his PhD in bacterial physiology from Iowa State University.

Professional Career

Marmur spent most of his working life at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, New York. This college is part of Yeshiva University. To remember Dr. Marmur and his important work, the college holds an event each year. It is called the Julius Marmur Symposium. This event celebrates excellent research by graduate students.