198
JAMES K. GRANT
It is not unreasonable to suppose that a broad basis of knowledge such
as might have been obtained from a study of the comparative biochemistry of the adrenocortical hormones would have been of inestimable value here. As Albert has pointed out, mammals did not invent
the hormones (165), and these substances must have been subjected to
evolutionary experiments. Modern techniques are capable of revealing
the results of such experiments, and it would be surprising if these
results did not do much to clarify problems in mammalian steroid biochemistry. Moreover, it would be extremely interesting to know which
was the first steroid hormone. The requirement of certain lower organisms for cholesterol as a growth factor may prove to be a starting point
for such investigations.
References
1. R. Schoenheimer, Science 74, 579-584 (1931).
2. R. P. Hobson, Biochem. J. 29, 1292-1296 (1935); H. Lipke and G. Fraenkel,
Ann. Rev. Entomol. 1, 17-44 (1956).
3a. G. Popjak, Roy. Inst. Chem. (London)
Lectures, Monographs Repts. No. 2
(1955).
3b. K. Bloch, Vitamins and Hormones 15, 119-150 (1957).
3c. R. G. Gould, in "Cholesterol" (R. P. Cook, ed.), pp. 209-235. Academic
Press, New York, 1958.
4. D. Rittenberg and R. Schoenheimer, /. Biol. Chem. 121, 235-253 (1937).
5. K. Bloch and D. Rittenberg, /. Biol. Chem. 159, 45-58; 160, 417-424 (1945);
K. Bloch, E. Borek, and D. Rittenberg, /. Biol. Chem. 162, 441-449 (1946).
6. R. C. Oltke, E. L. Tatum, and K. Bloch, /. Biol. Chem. 189, 429^433 (1951).
7. J. Wuersch, R. L. Huang, and K. Bloch, /. Biol. Chem. 195, 439-446 (1952).
8. R. G. Langdon and K. Bloch, /. Biol. Chem. 200, 129-134; 135-144 (1953).
9. M. Tsujimoto, /. Soc. Chem. Ind. Japan 9, 953 (1906).
10. V. R. Wheatley and A. T. James, Biochem. J. 65, 36-42 (1957).
11. H. J. Channon, Biochem. J. 20, 400-408 (1926).
12. J. Bonner and B. Arreguin, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 21, 109-124 (1949).
13. Symposium on cholesterol biosynthesis. Federation Proc. 14, 752-785 (1955).
14. D. E. Wolf, C. H. Hoffman, P. E. Aldrich, H. R. Skeggs, L. D. Wright, and
K. Folkers, /. Am. Chem. Soc. 78, 4499 (1956).
15. P. A. Tavormina and M. H. Gibbs, /. Am. Chem. Soc. 78, 6210 (1956).
16. R. G. Gould and G. Popjak, Biochem. J. 66, 51P (1957); G. Popjak, L.
Gosselin, and I. Y. Gore, Biochem. J. 68, 15P (1958).
17. J. W. Cornforth, R. M. Cornforth, G. Popjak, and I. Youhotsky-Gore, Biochem. J. 69, 146-155 (1958).
18. G. Popjak, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 27, 533-560 (1958).
19. F. Dituri, F. A. Cobey, J. V. B. Warms, and S. Gurin, /. Biol. Chem. 221,
181-189 (1956).
20. R. Tschesche and F. Korte, Angew. Chem. 64, 633-638 (1952).
21. S. Chaykin, J. Law, A. H. Phillips, T. T. Tchen, and K. Bloch, Proc. Natl.
Acad. Set. U.S. 44, 998-1004 (1958).
22. For a summary, see K. Bloch, in "Currents in Biochemistry" (D. E. Green,
ed.), 2nd ed., pp. 474-492. Interscience New York, 1956.
JAMES K. GRANT
It is not unreasonable to suppose that a broad basis of knowledge such
as might have been obtained from a study of the comparative biochemistry of the adrenocortical hormones would have been of inestimable value here. As Albert has pointed out, mammals did not invent
the hormones (165), and these substances must have been subjected to
evolutionary experiments. Modern techniques are capable of revealing
the results of such experiments, and it would be surprising if these
results did not do much to clarify problems in mammalian steroid biochemistry. Moreover, it would be extremely interesting to know which
was the first steroid hormone. The requirement of certain lower organisms for cholesterol as a growth factor may prove to be a starting point
for such investigations.
References
1. R. Schoenheimer, Science 74, 579-584 (1931).
2. R. P. Hobson, Biochem. J. 29, 1292-1296 (1935); H. Lipke and G. Fraenkel,
Ann. Rev. Entomol. 1, 17-44 (1956).
3a. G. Popjak, Roy. Inst. Chem. (London)
Lectures, Monographs Repts. No. 2
(1955).
3b. K. Bloch, Vitamins and Hormones 15, 119-150 (1957).
3c. R. G. Gould, in "Cholesterol" (R. P. Cook, ed.), pp. 209-235. Academic
Press, New York, 1958.
4. D. Rittenberg and R. Schoenheimer, /. Biol. Chem. 121, 235-253 (1937).
5. K. Bloch and D. Rittenberg, /. Biol. Chem. 159, 45-58; 160, 417-424 (1945);
K. Bloch, E. Borek, and D. Rittenberg, /. Biol. Chem. 162, 441-449 (1946).
6. R. C. Oltke, E. L. Tatum, and K. Bloch, /. Biol. Chem. 189, 429^433 (1951).
7. J. Wuersch, R. L. Huang, and K. Bloch, /. Biol. Chem. 195, 439-446 (1952).
8. R. G. Langdon and K. Bloch, /. Biol. Chem. 200, 129-134; 135-144 (1953).
9. M. Tsujimoto, /. Soc. Chem. Ind. Japan 9, 953 (1906).
10. V. R. Wheatley and A. T. James, Biochem. J. 65, 36-42 (1957).
11. H. J. Channon, Biochem. J. 20, 400-408 (1926).
12. J. Bonner and B. Arreguin, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 21, 109-124 (1949).
13. Symposium on cholesterol biosynthesis. Federation Proc. 14, 752-785 (1955).
14. D. E. Wolf, C. H. Hoffman, P. E. Aldrich, H. R. Skeggs, L. D. Wright, and
K. Folkers, /. Am. Chem. Soc. 78, 4499 (1956).
15. P. A. Tavormina and M. H. Gibbs, /. Am. Chem. Soc. 78, 6210 (1956).
16. R. G. Gould and G. Popjak, Biochem. J. 66, 51P (1957); G. Popjak, L.
Gosselin, and I. Y. Gore, Biochem. J. 68, 15P (1958).
17. J. W. Cornforth, R. M. Cornforth, G. Popjak, and I. Youhotsky-Gore, Biochem. J. 69, 146-155 (1958).
18. G. Popjak, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 27, 533-560 (1958).
19. F. Dituri, F. A. Cobey, J. V. B. Warms, and S. Gurin, /. Biol. Chem. 221,
181-189 (1956).
20. R. Tschesche and F. Korte, Angew. Chem. 64, 633-638 (1952).
21. S. Chaykin, J. Law, A. H. Phillips, T. T. Tchen, and K. Bloch, Proc. Natl.
Acad. Set. U.S. 44, 998-1004 (1958).
22. For a summary, see K. Bloch, in "Currents in Biochemistry" (D. E. Green,
ed.), 2nd ed., pp. 474-492. Interscience New York, 1956.