336
MAURICE WELSCH
produced by lysogenic streptomycetes (336), showed that, in fact, there
was no correlation between actinomycin production and phage sensitivity. Actinophage
effect on actinomycin-producers belonging to other groups (337).
It therefore appears, and the fact is not surprising, that the evolution
of biochemical mechanisms responsible for the biosynthesis of secondary
metabolites has not been parallel to that of the various characters up to
now preferentially chosen by taxonomists. Antibiotic production as well
as lysogeny, and antibiotic sensitivity as well as phage-sensitivity, are not
a sound basis for microbial classification; they may, however, be useful
as accessory characteristics for that purpose (338).
From the foregoing, we are finally led to conclude that antibiotics
appear as a highly artificial collection of most interesting natural substances, grouped together, for commendable practical reasons, on the
basis of a common property—their specific toxicity. This property generally has but little biological significance and is rather fortuitous, albeit
useful, in making of antibiotics not only drugs of value, but also invaluable tools for unraveling biochemical problems of fundamental importance.
References
1. S. A. Waksman, Mycologia 39, 565-569 (1947).
2. M. Welsch, Compt. rend. 3e Congr. nat. sei., Bruxelles, 1950, Vol. 1, pp. 141144 (1950).
3. P. R. Burkholder, Am. Scientist 40, 601-631 (1952); 41, 14-16 (1953).
4. S. A. Waksman, Am. Scientist 41, 8-12 (1953).
5. G. M. Gould, "Gould's Medical Dictionary," p. 94. McGraw-Hill (Blakiston),
New York, 1926.
6. P. Vuillemin, Assoc. franc, avance. set. 2, 525-542 (1889).
7. Η. M. Ward, Ann. Botany (London) 13, 549-562 (1899).
8. G. Papacostas and J. Gate, "Les associations microbiennes. Leurs applications
therapeutiques." Doin, Paris, 1928.
9. M. Welsch, Phenomenes d'antibiose chez les Actinomycetes. Rev. beige pathol.
et med. exptl. 18, Suppl. 2, 1-315 (1947).
10. A. de Bary, "Die Erscheinungen der Symbiose." Κ. J. Trübner, Strassburg,
Germany, 1879.
11. R. Emmerich, Arch. Hyg. 6, 442-501 (1886).
12. S. A. Waksman, "Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Substances," 1st ed.,
p. 271. Commonwealth Fund, New York, 1945.
13. S. A. Waksman, "Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Substances/' 2nd ed.,
p. 331. Commonwealth Fund, New York, 1947.
14. S. A. Waksman, Giorn. microbiol. 2, 1-14 (1956); The role of antibiotics in
nature. In "Perspectives in Biology and Medicine," Vol. 4, pp. 271-287. Univ.
of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1961.
15. P. W. Brian, Ecological significance of antibiotic production. In "Microbial
MAURICE WELSCH
produced by lysogenic streptomycetes (336), showed that, in fact, there
was no correlation between actinomycin production and phage sensitivity. Actinophage
effect on actinomycin-producers belonging to other groups (337).
It therefore appears, and the fact is not surprising, that the evolution
of biochemical mechanisms responsible for the biosynthesis of secondary
metabolites has not been parallel to that of the various characters up to
now preferentially chosen by taxonomists. Antibiotic production as well
as lysogeny, and antibiotic sensitivity as well as phage-sensitivity, are not
a sound basis for microbial classification; they may, however, be useful
as accessory characteristics for that purpose (338).
From the foregoing, we are finally led to conclude that antibiotics
appear as a highly artificial collection of most interesting natural substances, grouped together, for commendable practical reasons, on the
basis of a common property—their specific toxicity. This property generally has but little biological significance and is rather fortuitous, albeit
useful, in making of antibiotics not only drugs of value, but also invaluable tools for unraveling biochemical problems of fundamental importance.
References
1. S. A. Waksman, Mycologia 39, 565-569 (1947).
2. M. Welsch, Compt. rend. 3e Congr. nat. sei., Bruxelles, 1950, Vol. 1, pp. 141144 (1950).
3. P. R. Burkholder, Am. Scientist 40, 601-631 (1952); 41, 14-16 (1953).
4. S. A. Waksman, Am. Scientist 41, 8-12 (1953).
5. G. M. Gould, "Gould's Medical Dictionary," p. 94. McGraw-Hill (Blakiston),
New York, 1926.
6. P. Vuillemin, Assoc. franc, avance. set. 2, 525-542 (1889).
7. Η. M. Ward, Ann. Botany (London) 13, 549-562 (1899).
8. G. Papacostas and J. Gate, "Les associations microbiennes. Leurs applications
therapeutiques." Doin, Paris, 1928.
9. M. Welsch, Phenomenes d'antibiose chez les Actinomycetes. Rev. beige pathol.
et med. exptl. 18, Suppl. 2, 1-315 (1947).
10. A. de Bary, "Die Erscheinungen der Symbiose." Κ. J. Trübner, Strassburg,
Germany, 1879.
11. R. Emmerich, Arch. Hyg. 6, 442-501 (1886).
12. S. A. Waksman, "Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Substances," 1st ed.,
p. 271. Commonwealth Fund, New York, 1945.
13. S. A. Waksman, "Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Substances/' 2nd ed.,
p. 331. Commonwealth Fund, New York, 1947.
14. S. A. Waksman, Giorn. microbiol. 2, 1-14 (1956); The role of antibiotics in
nature. In "Perspectives in Biology and Medicine," Vol. 4, pp. 271-287. Univ.
of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1961.
15. P. W. Brian, Ecological significance of antibiotic production. In "Microbial