In this issue, we are fortunate to have an interesting his-characterized the study of mutagens since the early 1970's following the demonstration that mutagens are torical note submitted by Professor Joshua Lederberg [Lederberg, this issue,, based on the introductory carcinogens, and visa versa. Environmental mutagenesis workers have been split between those who classi-comments to his talk at the annual Environmental Mutagen Society meeting, in Minneapolis, on April 20, 1997. fied and categorized chemicals for predicting and explaining carcinogenicity and heritable effects, and In this note, he reprises his early recognition of the potential hazards of exposure to mutagenic chemicals, and his those who used mutagens to understand mechanisms of mutagenesis, and to learn about the operation of attempt to alert Dr. Herman Muller, the leading geneticist of that time, to this issue, and to garner his support. As genes and chromosomes. In the past few years, however, it appears as if the classification and categoriza-appendixes of this note, Prof. Lederberg has graciously included copies of his March 1950 correspondence with tion efforts have stabilized at a lower energy level than in previous years. Muller. Nineteen years after first writing to Muller to express his concern about mutagenic chemicals and to
As opposed to the situation in 1950, we now have techniques to sequence DNA rapidly, to target muta-encourage their further study, Prof. Lederberg was one of the founders of the Environmental Mutagen Society. tions to specific sites in the genome, and to move specific genes into and out of the genome. With the avail-What may be most interesting about these letters are the remarkably prescient comments and concerns that ability of these techniques, the major emphasis in mutagenesis is now in the study of the mechanisms of Dr. Lederberg expressed about the potential health implications of chemical mutagens in the environment. Both mutagenesis, the characterization and manipulation of genomes, and the relationship of the structure and func-he and Dr. Muller recognize the potential tension between fundamental research on the mechanisms of muta-tion of the genome to human disease. By learning the genomic nucleotide sequences of humans and experi-genesis, and an applied research program to identify mutagens and determine their effects on human health.
mental organisms, we can identify the bases of many diseases so that they may be diagnosed and treated, Equally prescient was the cautionary statement Muller made 47 years ago, and possibly remediated. We are, therefore, in the next phase anticipated by Prof. Lederberg, where the study of mutated genes and their effects can ''provide the ''It is not right that mutation work should have necessary information for the possible role of [mutato be a tail to the cancer kite. I think the time has gens] in human affairs.'' come when it ought to be recognized in its own right. . . .''