First isolation of actomyosin from a non-muscle cell: first isolated platelet protein.

I (M.B-G.) was born in 1928 in Beauvais (France) where my family lived until 1929, but because of the economic depression, my parents moved to Geneva where we were citizens. Both my parents were interested in the scientific aspects of biology, which was certainly important for my education. Living in Geneva was optimal, as we could easily go to high school and the University by tram, although I preferred my bike. As the 1939–45 war affected everybody, I worked during the holidays, first on farms, but I soon noticed that working in a factory was better paid. After the war during school time I gave French lessons to United Nations personnel. At the University, as I had good marks in biochemistry, I was asked to be a teaching assistant at the Botanical Institute. Nevertheless, I was the ugly duckling of the family because since birth, every beat of my heart produced a murmur, which could not be diagnosed then, so that the physicians warned my parents that I would die very young. Nevertheless, when I was 20 years old, the correct diagnosis was made: I had an open ductus Botalli , which could then be operated on. Prof. Max Grob, from the University of Zürich Children’s Hospital, performed the operation. Being 22 years old, I was an exception in a children’s clinic. A young assistant in surgery, Marcel Bettex, was working there then. This was how we met, and after a time we decided to unite our lives. I nevertheless stubbornly finished my studies in biochemistry, which postponed our marriage for 2 years (1952). In Zürich I found a job as an assistant at the Physiological Institute, the head of which was Prof. F. Leuthardt. The salary was poor but the topic was interesting. After a time Prof. Leuthardt wanted me to prepare the demonstrations for the students. As his lessons began at 08.00 h, I often had to work at night. Once I had to prepare actomyosin from rabbitmuscle, so I learned to handle this protein using the classical method of Szent Gyorgyi [1]. I had to demonstrate the superprecipitation , that is the contraction of the normal precipitate under the influence of ATP. I also made some investigations on the role of biotin in the fixation of carbon dioxide by animal tissues and used these as the basis of my PhD; however, first I had to submit to an examination board. The chairman was Paul Karrer, who had been awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry and had written a thick book on organic chemistry, which I had to learn. So I memorized it, sitting for 3 months at my desk and in the examination was asked to describe the synthesis of morphine: I got the maximum mark (1958). At that time, my husband, who was a very gifted pediatric surgeon, was appointed as head of the Paediatric Surgery Clinic in Berne. As a consequence I wanted to find a job in Berne. Among two opportunities I chose to work with Ernst Lüscher, because he offered me a laboratory, a technical assistant (Madeleine Schneider), and a good salary.