James B. Sumner

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James Batcheller Sumner

James Batcheller Sumner (November 19, 1887 – August 12, 1955) was an American chemist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1946 for his discovery that enzymes can be crystallized. This achievement was pivotal in the field of biochemistry and significantly advanced the understanding of enzyme structure and function.

Early Life and Education

James B. Sumner was born in Canton, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1910. He later pursued his Ph.D. at Harvard University, which he completed in 1914 under the supervision of Professor Lawrence Joseph Henderson.

Career and Research

After completing his Ph.D., Sumner joined the faculty at Cornell University Medical College. It was here that he began his groundbreaking work on enzymes. In 1926, Sumner successfully crystallized the enzyme urease, extracted from the jack bean. This was the first time an enzyme had been crystallized, providing clear evidence that enzymes are indeed proteins. His work was initially met with skepticism, but it was later confirmed and recognized as a major scientific breakthrough.

Sumner's method involved the use of acetone to precipitate the enzyme from a solution, followed by careful crystallization. This technique laid the foundation for the crystallization of other enzymes and proteins, which has become a fundamental method in biochemistry and molecular biology.

Nobel Prize

In 1946, Sumner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, sharing it with John Howard Northrop and Wendell Meredith Stanley, who also made significant contributions to the understanding of enzymes and proteins. Sumner's work demonstrated that enzymes could be studied in a pure, crystalline form, which was essential for the development of modern biochemistry.

Personal Life

Sumner was married twice and had four children. Despite losing his left arm in a hunting accident at the age of 17, he pursued a successful career in science. His determination and resilience were evident throughout his life and career.

Legacy

James B. Sumner's work has had a lasting impact on the field of biochemistry. His discovery that enzymes can be crystallized opened up new avenues for research and has been fundamental in the development of enzyme kinetics and protein structure studies. The techniques he developed are still used today in laboratories around the world.

See Also

• Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Enzyme
• Biochemistry
• Protein crystallization
• Cornell University