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Cyril Dean Darlington: the man who 'invented' the chromosome

Abstract

Cyril Darlington (1903–1981) was the most famous cytologist in the world in the decades preceding the molecular revolution of the 1950s. He crossed disciplinary boundaries to create a synthesis of cytology, genetics and evolution by revealing the mechanics of chromosomal recombination and the importance of its evolution. Always controversial during his lifetime, obituaries ultimately referred to him as the 'Copernicus' or 'Newton' of cytology. This article reviews Darlington's scientific contributions, the reasons for their difficult reception at the time and their continuing relevance.

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Figure 1: Development of the chromosome-genetic connection.
Figure 2: Photograph of Cyril Darlington and Ronald Aylmer Fisher.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Tim Horder, Michael Dietrich and Jacob Wahrman kindly.

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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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DATABASES

Entrez Taxonomy

Drosophila melanogaster

Oenothera lamarckiana

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Harman, O. Cyril Dean Darlington: the man who 'invented' the chromosome. Nat Rev Genet 6, 79–85 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg1506

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