WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS

March 6, 1958

Dr. J. Lederberg
Department of Genetics
Univeristy of Wisconsin
wdadison 6, Wisconsin

Dear Joshua:

As far as I am aware there is no evidence for compounds containing -Si-C-
linkages in any biological system, though no exhaustive search for such sub-
stances has been made to. the best of my knowledge, Complexes of organic mole-
cules with silicic acid, probably held by forces of electrovalency, hydrogen-
bond formation, etc, are not uncommon in biology, Same of these are silicate
esters, but there is no evidence yet that they play any role in frustular

synthesis, The following references might be helpful to you:

Holt, P.F. and Yates, lt. Tissue silicon: a study of the ethanol-soluble
fraction, using Si-~. Biochem. J, 54: 300-305. 1953.

Holt, P.F. and Bowcott,J.E.L. The interaction of proteins with silicic
acid, Biochem. J, 57: 471-475. 1954.

Engel, W, Untersuchungen ter die Kieselsdureverbindungen im Roggenhalm,
Planta 41: 358-390. 1953.

Along these lines you might be interested to know that diatoms are not (‘3
capable of using one of the simplest compounds with a -Si-C- bond as a source 4o-Si-oH
of silicon, namely,methyl siliconate(Lewin, Plant Physiol. 30: 129-134. 1955). b
#

Ralph is sending the enclosed card with a few brief notes on the sym-
biotic algae which you were asking about,

We are pleased that you so much enjoyed your trip to Australia, I gather
that you have.now been right around the planet, which we have still to do,
Since we don't like to leave Woods Hole in the summer time, we are thinking
of taking a siiall vacatton in Puerto Rice before very long, We have been
studying Spanish, hoping that we will be able to get a little practicing in
when we get down there,

With the sun shining on this warm spring-like day, who could imagine that
Buzzards Bay was frozen over just two weeks ago, We walked out on the ice,

What are your new duties and how do you divide your time between two de-
partments? What position does Egther hold Now? Please give her our best
regards,

With best wishes,

Jo

Joyce Lewin