Norton Zinder

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Norton Zinder (born November 7, 1928) is an American biologist famous for his discovery of genetic transduction.

Ninder was born in New York City. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

Zinder currently heads a laboratory at Rockefeller University. He became a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1969

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[edit] Genetic transduction

Genetic transduction is the transfer of genes from one type of microorganism to another. Zinder identified this phenomenon while a graduate student at Wisconsin. Working under Joshua Lederberg, he discovered that a virus can carry genes from one bacterium to another (he was using Salmonella bacteria. Zinder and Lederberg named their process "genetic transduction."

[edit] Bacteriophage

Later on, Zinder discovered the first bacteriophage that contained RNA as its genetic material.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Lederberg J & Zinder N. Concentration of biochemical mutants of bacteria with penicillin. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 70:4267-8, 1948. [1].
  • Zinder N D & Lederberg J. Genetic exchange in Salmonella. J. Bacteriology 64:679-99, 1952. [2].

[edit] External links

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