The First Ever Retrotriviacrossword

Abstract

In 1990, the annual Cold Spring Harbor RNA Tumor Virus meeting fell on the 20th anniversary of the discovery of reverse transcriptase, as originally reported in two back-to-back papers (Nature 226: 1209–1211 and 1211–1213 [1970]). In a special session at that meeting, David Baltimore and Howard Temin gave keynote addresses reflecting on the history and future of reverse transcription. To commemorate the 20th anniversary, a special “Retrotriviacrossword” puzzle was constructed by members of the laboratories of John Coffin and Naomi Rosenberg, as an open challenge to the attendees to test their knowledge of facts, rumors, and trivia about reverse transcriptase, retroviruses, and their history. A copy of the puzzle is reproduced here for the pleasure of the reader. (Warning: Puns, tricks, and trivia abound. The answer is included on the following page.)...