Jean Brachet

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Jean Louis Auguste Brachet (born March 19, 1909 in Etterbeek , † August 10, 1988 ) was a Belgian biochemist . He is known for discovering the fundamental role of RNA in the cell and for biochemical studies on morphogenesis .

Life

Brachet studied medicine at the Université Libre de Bruxelles , where his father Albert Brachet (1869–1930) was professor of embryology, graduating in 1934. He then conducted research at Cambridge University , Princeton University and various marine biology laboratories ( Sète, Roscoff, Naples, Woods Hole). From 1938 he was Professor of Biology at the Free University of Brussels and Research Director at the International Laboratory for Genetics and Biophysics in Naples .

He is known for discovering the important role ribonucleic acid (RNA) plays in cells. In 1933 he showed that DNA is found in chromosomes in the cell nucleus, whereas RNA is found in the cytoplasm of all cells. Independently of Torbjörn Caspersson , he showed the role of RNA in protein synthesis. He also made major contributions to cell differentiation . For example, he showed that before the cell differentiates, new ribosomes and large amounts of m-RNA are formed .

In 1961 he received the Schleiden Medal , in 1967 the HP Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics , in 1969 the Prix ​​Charles-Léopold Mayer and in 1948 the Francqui Prize . In 1959 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences , in 1962 a member of the Scholars Academy Leopoldina , and in 1964 of the National Academy of Sciences . In 1959 he became an honorary member ( Honorary Fellow ) of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 1966 he became a foreign member of the Royal Society and in 1974 a member of the Académie des Sciences .

His daughter Lise Brachet wrote his biography.

Fonts

  • Biochemical Cytology , Academic Press 1957
  • The Biochemistry of Development , Pergamon Press 1960
  • The Biological Role of Ribonucleic Acids , Elsevier 1960
  • Chemical Embryology , Interscience, New York, 1950, Hafner 1968 (French Paris, Masson 1944)
  • Introduction to molecular embryology , Springer 1974

Web links

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Biographical Index: Former RSE Fellows 1783–2002. Royal Society of Edinburgh, accessed October 11, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Brachet, Jean
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Brachet, Jean Louis Auguste (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Belgian biochemist
DATE OF BIRTH March 19, 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Etterbeek
DATE OF DEATH August 10, 1988