Donald Henry Northcote. 27 December 1921—7 January 2004

Abstract

Don Northcote became eminent in the field of plant biochemistry following his identification of the processes involved in the synthesis and deposition of polysaccharides that constitute the cell wall of plants. His researches spanned lower and higher plant species and he showed by the application of a variety of experimental techniques, including radioautography, electrophoresis, freeze etching and the novel use of electron microscopy, that much of the material of the cell wall is synthesized in cytoplasmic organelles before being transported to the developing wall in vesicles assembled from the membranes of the Golgi body. His findings inspired many colleagues to build on the foundation he laid for understanding the biochemistry of cell morphogenesis. Nearly his entire career was spent in fundamental research and teaching in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, from 1948 until his retirement in 1992. In addition, he was a fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, from 1960 to 1976, and he served Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, as master from 1976 to 1992.