Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet discovers bacteriophages – viruses that invade bacteria – replicate in a hidden fashion inside the bacteria until emerging when the host dies.
Settling debate
Arguments rage between scientists over the origin of bacteriophages and whether they are caused by a virus or internal mechanisms of the affected bacteria.
Burnet, together with Margot McKie, confirms bacteriophages are viral in nature, and produce evidence that later settles another debate: how the virus inserts itself into the bacteria’s genetic code to ensure replication and survival.
This rigorous scientific work forms the basis for future studies using bacteriophages as a tool for genetic research.
