Jean-Jacques Weigle (July 9, 1901 - December 28, 1968) was a Swiss molecular biologist at the CalTech and a former physicist at the University of Geneva from 1931 to 1948. He is known for his major contributions on field of the bacteriophage λ research, focused on the interactions between those viruses and their E. coli hosts.[1]
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Jean Weigle was born in Geneva, Switzerland, [2] where he obtained his PhD in physics in 1923, from the University of Geneva. He married Ruth Juliette Falk, a widow. [3] He died in Pasadena, California, after suffering another heart attack in 1968. [1]
As a physicist he was awarded for his research on of x-ray diffraction to the study of crystal structure; the effects of temperature on this diffraction; the diffraction of light by ultrasonics. He was working as professor of Physics at the University of Pittsburgh in the 1920s. At the University of Geneva he became director of the Institute of Physics since 1931, he developed the first electron microscope made in Switzerland, important factor for the studies of molecular biology leading to creation in 1964 of the Institute of Molecular Biology (MOLBIO) by Edouard Kellenberger and others.
After suffering his first heart attack in 1946 he emigrated to the USA in 1948, resigned from the faculty of the University of Geneva and went to CalTech in California. Then he turned to biology and worked in "phage" group of Max Delbrück, Seymour Benzer, Elie Wollman, and Gunther Stent. He helped in their researches the Nobel laureate Werner Arber, George Streisinger, and Giuseppe Bertani also known as "Joe" or "Gio".
He is most noted for his demonstration with Matthew Meselson, of Caltech and Grete Kellenberger of Geneva that genetic recombination involves actual breakage and reunion of DNA molecules. He created the classic induction of a lysogen involved irradiating the infected cells with ultraviolet light. He demonstrated through his classical experiments the inducible nature of the DNA repair system. [4]
Weigle mutagenesis that means inducible mutagenesis and Weigle reactivation that means inducible repair after DNA damage are named in his honor.[4]
"So Weigle was the pioneer of the whole lambda genetics business, which is now a real industrial operation". [5] "The interest of physical scientists such Max Delbrück and Jean Weigle in the 20th Century had a revolutionizing effect on biology". [4] In his honor the institutions where he worked created Weigle Memorial Service and Weigle Memorial Lecture at CalTech, and several friends the Jean Weigle Memorial Fund. The Weigle lecture honors his memory, who was instrumental for the development of Molecular Biology in Geneva.