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The Michael Heidelberger Papers

Title:
Letter from Joshua Lederberg to Michael Heidelberger pdf (60,173 Bytes) ocr (1,420 Bytes)
Description:
In this exchange between Heidelberger and the molecular geneticist Joshua Lederberg, the two agree on the need to elucidate in detail the chemical composition and three-dimensional structure of pneumococcal and other antigenic polysaccharides, a need Heidelberger was addressing at the time through his examination of immunological cross-reactions. Such cross-reactions, in which antigens react with certain non-homologous antibodies (antibodies formed against another antigen with which the first antigen shares closely-related or identical antigenic determinants, a site on the surface of an antigen molecule to which a single antibody binds), told organic chemists like Heidelberger much about the arrangement of the sugars in the repeating chemical units of polysaccharides, which in turn determined their immunological properties.
In this exchange between Heidelberger and the molecular geneticist Joshua Lederberg, the two agree on the need to elucidate in detail the chemical composition and three-dimensional structure of pneumococcal and other antigenic polysaccharides, a need Heidelberger was addressing at the time through his examination of immunological cross-reactions. Such cross-reactions, in which antigens react with certain non-homologous antibodies (antibodies formed against another antigen with which the first antigen shares closely-related or identical antigenic determinants, a site on the surface of an antigen molecule to which a single antibody binds), told organic chemists like Heidelberger much about the arrangement of the sugars in the repeating chemical units of polysaccharides, which in turn determined their immunological properties.
Number of Image Pages:
1 (60,173 Bytes)
Date:
1956-11-12 (November 12, 1956)
Creator:
Lederberg, Joshua
Recipient:
Heidelberger, Michael
Rights:
This item is in the public domain. It may be used without permission.
Subject:
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH):
Polysaccharides
Molecular Structure
Exhibit Category:
"If I Have a Few More Years to Work, I'm Going Ahead": An Active Retirement, 1954-1991
Relation:
Metadata Record Letter from Michael Heidelberger to Joshua Lederberg (November 28, 1956)
Metadata Record Letter from Joshua Lederberg to Michael Heidelberger (November 30, 1956)
Box Number: 4
Folder Number: 1
Unique Identifier:
DHBBML
Document Type:
Letters (correspondence)
Language:
English
Format:
application/pdf
image/tif
Physical Condition:
Good
Folder: MS C 245 (first finding aid)
Metadata Last Modified Date:
2006-06-13
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services
USA.gov, Copyright, Privacy, Accessibility
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