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Bernard L. Strehler

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Bernard Louis Strehler
Born(1925-02-21)February 21, 1925
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMay 13, 2001(2001-05-13) (aged 76)
Agoura, California, U.S.
EducationJohns Hopkins University (BS, PhD)
Known forFirefly luciferin; delayed light emission; biogerontology
Notable workTime, Cells, and Aging (1962)
Scientific career
FieldsBiochemistry, Gerontology, Photosynthesis
InstitutionsOak Ridge National Laboratory
University of Chicago
National Institutes of Health
University of Southern California

Bernard Louis Strehler (1925–2001) was an American biochemist and biogerontologist whose work spanned photosynthesis, bioluminescence, and the biology of aging. Early in his career, he contributed to studies of firefly luminescence and, with William A. Arnold, demonstrated delayed light emission in photosynthetic systems. He later became a leading figure in gerontology, authoring Time, Cells, and Aging (1962) and directing the USC Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center.[1]

In 1949, he first purified firefly luciferin,[2] which gives off light after being combined with ATP, magnesium ion, oxygen, and firefly luciferase. In 1956, he switched to the field of aging. He joined the faculty of the University of Southern California as a professor of biology and director of biological research at the USC Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center.[3][1]

Biography

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Strehler studied biology at Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated in 1947. Three years later, he also received his doctorate there. He then worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. He identified luciferin, the luminescent substance of various beetle species, which he isolated from thousands of fireflies.[4][5] Together with William A. Arnold, Strehler demonstrated in 1951 that green plants exhibit delayed light emission as a result of early steps in photosynthesis.[6] In 1952, he discovered that plants build up adenosine triphosphate in the chloroplasts under the influence of light.[7][8]

Strehler later became assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Chicago. In 1956, he went to the National Institutes of Health, where he worked at the Gerontology Centre in Baltimore. The University of Southern California (USC) appointed him Professor of Biology in 1967. He remained at USC until his retirement in 1990. From 1960 onwards, Strehler devoted himself primarily to biogerontological topics. He noticed that the loss in human cells is seven times slower than in cells from domestic dogs. The factor seven is also found in the two maximum life spans of both species.[9][10][11]

Strehler was regarded as one of the most prominent gerontologists of his time, with over 250 publications. He died of a stroke in a nursing home. He left behind two daughters and a son. His wife Theodora died three years before him.[12][13]

Bibliography

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Bernard Strehler, 76 - Studied the Causes of Aging". The New York Times. June 17, 2001. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ Strehler, Bernard L.; McElroy, William D. (1949). "Purification of firefly luciferin". Journal of Cellular and Comparative Physiology. 34 (3): 457–466. doi:10.1002/jcp.1030340310. ISSN 0095-9898. PMID 15406363.
  3. ↑ "Obituary: Bernard Strehler, pioneering biogerontologist, 76". USC Today. 10 June 2001. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ W. D. McElroy und B. L. Strehler: "Factors influencing the response of the bioluminescent reaction to adenosine triphosphate". In: Arch Biochem. 22, 1949, S. 420–433. PMID 18134550
  5. ↑ W. D. McElroy und B. L. Strehler: Purification of firefly luciferin. In: J Cell Physiol. 34, 1949, S. 457–466. PMID 15406363
  6. ↑ Strehler, Bernard L.; Arnold, William (1951). "Light production by green plants". Journal of General Physiology. 34 (6): 809–820. doi:10.1085/jgp.34.6.809. PMC 2147280. PMID 14850702.
  7. ↑ B. L. Strehler: "The luminescence of isolated chloroplasts". In: Arch Biochem. 34, 1951, S. 239–248. PMID 14904058
  8. ↑ B. L. Strehler: "The isolation and properties of firefly luciferesceine". In: Arch Biochem. 32, 1951, S. 397–406. PMID 14857762
  9. ↑ B. L. Strehler und M. P. Chang: "Loss of hybridizable ribosomal DNA from human post-mitotic tissues during aging: II. Age-dependent loss in human cerebral cortex--hippocampal and somatosensory cortex comparison". In: Mech Ageing Dev. 11, 1979, S. 379–382. PMID 529838
  10. ↑ B. L. Strehler u. a.: "Loss of hybridizable ribosomal DNA from human post-mitotic tissues during aging: I. Age-dependent loss in human myocardium". In: Mech Ageing Dev. 11, 1979, S. 371–378. PMID 529837
  11. ↑ R. Johnson und B. L. Strehler: "Loss of genes coding for ribosomal RNA in ageing brain cells". In: Nature. 240, 1972, S. 412–414. PMID 4564320
  12. ↑ Obituary for Bernard Strehler, USC Professor of Biology; Studied Aging. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  13. ↑ L. S. Coles: The life and contributions of Professor Bernard L. Strehler, founding editor-in-chief of mechanisms of ageing and development, professor of biology at the University of Southern California (February 21, 1925-May 13, 2001). In: Mech Ageing Dev. 123, 2002, S. 821–825. PMID 12044929
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