I think all molecular biologists would recognize that the papers describing di-deoxy sequencing1 and Kary Mullis' PCR technique2 have changed the world of science profoundly. Mullis, a true "gonzo" scientist, includes a favorite quote in a chapter of a book he edited that describes the development of PCR: "There is a place in your brain, I think, reserved for 'the melancholy of relationships past.' It grows and prospers as life progresses, forcing you finally, against your grain, to listen to country music." (K.B. Mullis et al., eds., The Polymerase Chain Reaction, Birkhauser: Boston, 1995, p. 427).
The paper describing the principles for constructing a genetic linkage map in man using RFLPs3 underpins a great deal of current research effort in the mapping of inherited diseases. The identification of the gene mutation causing narcolepsy in dogs4, demonstrates the power of comparative genetics.
The late Herbert William "Willie" Smith (Institute of Animal ...
