Viruses, Genes, and Cells1

The intimate relationships of viruses and genes have been proper subjects of speculation for many years. More recently, genetic studies, especially on bacteriophages and bacteria have given concrete substance to some of these speculations. For this occasion a brief didactic review of some relevant experimental findings may be appropriate. The support that they can give to concept and methodology in the field of cancer research will be self-evident. More extensive and coherent syntheses of several aspects of virus biology may be found elsewhere (Luria, 1953; Burnet, 1955; Lm-off, 1953; Jacob, 1954; Symposium, 1953; Bertani, 1957; Stent, 1957). The examples arbitrarily selected here will simply reflect my own experience and interests