News of the Week
ENERGY HIGHLIGHTS ACS MEETING IN D.C. Last week was declared Chemistry Week in the nation's capital by the city's mayor, Marion Barry Jr., himself a chemist. Chemists were everywhere. The hotels were full of them. They toured federal agencies' laboratories and office buildings. They trekked in droves around the White House, the national monuments, and ACS headquarters. All of this and more comprised the American Chemical Society's 178th national meeting. About 9500 registrants showed up for one of Washington, D.C.'s biggest chemical affairs—one characterized by warm, autumnlike weather, a chance for closer interaction with the federal government, and a huge technical program of nearly 3100 presentations. The range of topics defies description but the emphasis was, if anything, on energy. Energy was the focus of the President's Plenary Session, at which ACS president Gardner W. Stacy pointed out that chemists have a dual role in the nation's effort to deal with its energy needs. "We must make a commitment to the intellectual and physical effort that is needed in chemical research for the development of new fuels and energy sources," he says. "And we must be confident that our involvement in the process that shapes research policy at the national level is meaningful and will produce results." He noted that more than 120 papers dealing with fuel and energy problems were to be presented at nine symposia at the meeting. He also pointed out that a special ACS task force has been authorized to spearhead new ACS involvement in energy matters. ACS councilors were concerned with energy, too—specifically on how to maintain their own throughout a lunchless, six-hour meeting. The council's agenda was larger than usual with 13 petitions up for action to amend the ACS constitution and/or bylaws. Of the 13 petitions, councilors adopted 10, defeated one, and recommitted two. The two petitions that were recommitted probably were the most controversial of the lot. One would broaden ACS membership requirements to include those with training in chemically related sciences, not specifically chemistry and 4
C&EN Sept. 17, 1979
Stacy: chemists have dual role
chemical engineering as the requirement now stands. The other petition would drop the requirement that applicants for ACS membership be nominated in writing by two members of the society. Several of the petitions adopted
deal with a variety of local section and division matters, including national billing of dues, annual reports, councilor representation, and funds apportionment (C&EN, Aug. 20, page 26). Other successful petitions deal with service requirements for retired members to qualify for a one-half discount on membership dues; provision for the Committee on Professional Training in the ACS governing documents; and housekeeping changes in procedures. The one petition that was voted down would have changed the requirements for emeritus status and would have made C&EN a paid option for new emeritus members. In addition to acting on these petitions, the council decided several other issues. It elected new members to the Committee on Committees, the Council Policy Committee, and the Committee on Nominations & Elections; endorsed permanent status for the heretofore probationary ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety; and endorsed plans for 1985 national meetings in Miami Beach in spring and Chicago in fall. •
Gap narrows between n< ilife and life systems Scientists seeking to reconstruct events leading from inorganic compounds to modern cells have narrowed the gap between primitive macromolecules and living systems. Polypeptides made by heating a mixture of amino acids containing 35% lysine catalyze linkage of amino acids to form new polypeptides, according to chemistry professor Sidney W. Fox of the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. Fox described his findings to the Division of Polymer Chemistry at the American Chemical Society meeting in Washington, D.C. His results indicate how primordial polypeptide assemblies could have acquired the ability to make proteins even before a genetic code or mechanism evolved. When the genetic code and mechanism did develop, they could have come from a primitive ribonucleic acid (RNA) that has evolved since into the many transfer RNA's (tRNA's) that carry amino acids in modern protein synthesis, according to chemistry Nobelist Manfred Eigen
of the Max Planck Institute for Physical Chemistry, Gottingen, West Germany. He suggested to the Division of Chemical Education's Symposium on Einstein and Chemical Thought that this primitive RNA could have had the stability and symmetry needed to function under severe conditions. .. Scientists studying events that led to development of modern cells from inorganic compounds have known for more than 25 years that various forms of energy produce amino acids from such gases as methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and water. Heating amino acids for two weeks at 60° C or two hours at 200° C gives polypeptides of molecular weights from 3000 to 11,000. Some of this primordial polypeptide, which Fox calls proteinoids, assembles spontaneously into microspheres in water. Microspheres reproduce by forming buds, which split off from the parents. Fox regards proteinoid microspheres as possible protocells.
Now Fox reports that proteinoids or their microspheres containing 35% of lysine catalyze formation of di-, tri-, and polypeptides from amino acids and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Four times as much of this catalytic activity is found in microspheres made up of lysine-rich proteinoid and either RNA or acidic proteinoids containing large amounts of aspartic acid. Fox ascribes this enhanced activity to specific configurations of microsphere surfaces or to a state of concentration of lysine-rich proteinoid. Although the microspheres Fox studies can reproduce and synthesize polypeptides, they lack genetic mechanisms to transmit more information than is present in amino acid structures themselves. Eigen, inspired by Einstein's approach to physics problems, has tried to discover how primitive systems might have acquired genetic mechanisms. He related the 1925 conversation in which Werner Heisenberg tried to persuade Einstein of his views on quantum mechanics. Heisenberg was enthusiastic about a theory based entirely on observable facts. Einstein retorted that it is theory that dictates what facts to look for. Proceeding from current genetic theory, Eigen sought an extant molecule ancient enough to have been present at the beginning of life, short enough to be translated accurately, stable enough to survive several hours' translation time, and symmetrical enough to transmit information economically. He settled on tRNA's, which have only 50 to 100 nucleotides and have twice as much guanylic (G) and cytidylic (C) acids as adenylic (A) and uridylic (U) acids. Eigen also postulated that the original RNA would be symmetrical, with one strand reading the same as the other. This symmetry would allow both strands to carry information for a greater economy. But such symmetry combined with high G and C contents limits to four the number of amino acids coded for. Among possible three-nucleotide codons that code for amino acids, Eigen finds GGC, which codes for glycine, is a possibility, whereas its complementary codon GCC codes for alanine. Similarly, GAC codes for aspartic acid, and its opposite number—GUC—for valine. Eigen notes that glycine and alanine also are the amino acids produced in greatest amounts from primordial atmospheres, with aspartic acid and valine the next most common. Working back from known nucleotide sequences of tRNA's, Eigen found what the original RNA must have looked like. Using the resulting
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company review that Carbide officials presented to security analysts in New Q.I York City. Although giving out a few 3s hints on the outcome of the current to year and on immediate capitalspending plans, chairman William S. Sneath and president Warren M. Anderson devoted most of their presentation to what they see as an especially difficult time in the 1980's—a slower-moving decade that they believe could trip up a company not tightly controlled. On the immediate outlook, Sneath says that Carbide's third quarter looks very strong, especially in exports from the U.S. Exports are filling in the few gaps in domestic markets that are beginning to reflect the apparent recession. Although Sneath says that Carbide is not seeing the Eigen: theory dictates facts to seek recession, generally, in its business, he adds that many customers are worstructure, and assuming that it coded ried about the fourth quarter. Sneath offers a specific forecast on for some protein, Eigen made by solid-phase peptide synthesis the capital spending, however. After more protein coded for by the RNA mes- than a 20% gain in spending on new sage. He reasoned that the protein plant and equipment in 1979 to about must have some function, and that $850 million, Carbide plans an averthe most useful function would be age $1 billion per year through 1983. activity as an RNA replicating en- This would pick up the dollar pace zyme. He tested this possibility by considerably from the average $767 analyzing for RNA cleavage activity, million spent per year between 1974 which often is one property of RNA and 1978, although inflation accounts replicating enzymes. The protein for much of the gain. based on the hypothetical RNA did Not much additional spending will indeed have RNA cleavage activity, go to major acquisitions in the next he says. • five years. In fact, Sneath says that the company's large divestment program in the past two years may be only half finished. Since he says that Union Carbide plans to Carbide has no big money losers at present, further divestments could double prof its by 1983 bring in cash. Totting up Carbide's operational Union Carbide's considerably altered management strategy may be much pruning in the past two years, Anmore hardnosed than five years ago, derson says that a total of 12 divestbut the company's profit horizons are ments have taken out $581.9 million in annual sales but only $2.8 million considerably expanded. By shedding unprofitable busi- in net income. A parallel program, nesses, greatly trimming new ven- discontinuing 25 new ventures, saved tures, emphasizing productivity Carbide $15.4 million in cash flow gains, and concentrating investment (net income plus depreciation) in in a few areas where it is solidly en- 1977 and $5.5 million in 1978. These trenched, the company is confident it cuts, which involved a number of can reverse its mediocre profit per- important R&D projects, were hard to make, Anderson says. But Carbide formance of the past few years. For 1979, the results look very good made them anyway. As a result, Carbide has singled out to date, although Carbide declines to make a specific prediction. However, just four major businesses in which to Carbide has set a goal to double increase assets relative to total corprofits by 1983 from 1978 to more porate assets in the next five years— than $800 million on a two-thirds in- agricultural products, batteries, crease in sales to at least $13 billion. graphite electrodes, and industrial This would pick up the company's gases. In two others, industrial profit margin on sales to at least 6.2% chemicals and polyethylene, Carbide is counting on greatly increased from 5.0% in 1978. Setting up these goals and achiev- profits with asset growth in line with ing them already has exacted some total corporate growth. For all six core stern measures and will call for many businesses, Carbide plans assets to more. This theme of discipline and reach 75% of the company total in profit-pushing underlay a broad-scale 1983 from about two thirds today. • o r.
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