In Germany, during the tumultuous period of unstoppable fascism, two researchers would depart to the exile via different harbors: Hans Krebs would depart towards England, while Fritz Lipmann would cross the ocean up to the United States. Both paths would converge in the biochemical description of a central process of cell metabolism: a cycle of reactions that would bear Krebs’ name and a molecule simply named “Coenzyme A”. Also escaping from fascism (the Italian version this time), Rita Levi-Montalcini turned a one-semester visit to Washington into 30 years of a successful career and the discovery of the nerve growth factor. Speaking of neurons and how they communicate, another German exile named Bernard Katz disentangled the synaptic mechanisms after he was welcomed at University College London. Finally, fascism would also keep away from his homeland the Spaniard Severo Ochoa who, also from the United States, would stablish the foundations to understand the mechanisms of nucleic acid synthesis. Five exiles, five life stories joined by the pain of a forced voyage and a curiosity without borders. Their welcome beyond their homeland awarded humanity with five keys to understanding our biology.
Metabolismo en tiempos de guerra
